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Airports big and small will be packed on Wednesday, just as they are every year on the day before Thanksgiving.
But the long lines and frayed nerves actually started last week, as many penny-pinching travelers booked earlier, and less expensive, flights.
As a result, what used to be a quick holiday trip home is now stretching to a week or more.
"I took my boys out of school for a couple days because it was so much cheaper," said Peggy Edwards, who flew into New York last Friday from Atlanta with her two sons, and figured she saved at least $100 on each fare by flying earlier.
"That's why we decided to make a week of it, to get our money's worth," she added.
Executives at several major airlines said they noticed the shift this year, with the crush starting several days earlier than usual.
And the airlines, because of the way they set airfares at peak times, gave deal-seeking travelers plenty of reasons to hunt for cheaper alternatives to flying right before the holiday.
Rick Seaney, the chief executive of FareCompare.com, a travel Web site, said passengers could have saved up to half off airfares this week by flying the Friday before Thanksgiving and returning the Monday after.
Mr. Seaney said the poor economy prompted many travelers to seek the lowest fares, even if it meant adjusting their travel dates.
"Everybody's looking at every dime," Mr. Seaney said. "They're all worried about their jobs."
Two years ago, before the recession, budget-conscious travelers were willing to spend up to $375 round trip to fly home. This year, Mr. Seaney said, many people balked at anything more than $240.
Many people are indeed staying home, or driving. Air travel is expected to fall 6.7 percent this holiday from last year, according to AAA, the travel group, which predicts 2.3 million people will fly this week.
The airport crowds late last week surprised many travelers.
"It was mobbed today," said Linda Moxley, who decided to save money by flying with her family into New York last Friday from her home near Atlanta.
"Big surprise," she added. "Very crowded."
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