The shutdown is over. Flights have resumed. Thanksgiving travelers might wonder: What now?

The turbulence caused by the longest government shutdown on record may still be fresh on travelers' minds this Thanksgiving, but experts say preparing for the usual holiday crush of winter weather, heavy traffic and crowded airports can help ease those jitters.

“I think the shutdown at this point is history for air travel. The airlines understand this time of year so well. They know exactly what they need to do,” said Sheldon H. Jacobson, an airport and airlines operations expert. “The real challenge is making sure travelers can help themselves.”

Here's a guide to navigating the busiest travel week of the year:

Travel forecasts point to packed airports and roads.

A week after lifting the unprecedented flight restrictions it placed on commercial airlines during the shutdown, the Federal Aviation Administration is preparing for its busiest Thanksgiving week in 15 years, with more than 360,000 flights scheduled between Monday and next Tuesday. That’s more than 17.8 million people who will be screened by the Transportation Security Administration.

AAA projects 1.3 million more travelers will be on the roads than last year, pushing the total number of people traveling by car to at least 73 million.

You can’t control the weather, but you can control how prepared you are if a winter storm hits. If your flight is canceled or delayed, will you drive instead or postpone or cancel your trip? Knowing your options ahead of time can reduce stress if a storm leaves you stranded.

James Belanger, vice president of meteorology at the Weather Company, recommends checking the forecast frequently while planning your trip.

The Weather Channel offers a Thanksgiving weekly forecast highlighting major airports and highways that could be affected by bad weather — including snow, ice and rain — along with a free online tool that shows how the weather might impact your travel route.

On Tuesday, the FAA's busiest day with more than 52,000 flights scheduled, forecasters say rain could cause problems in the Pacific Northwest and for much of the eastern U.S. Airports in Atlanta, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Seattle and Washington, D.C., could be impacted, according to the Weather Channel.

Jacobson, whose research contributed to the design of TSA PreCheck, recommends starting your packing by unpacking.

Check every pocket in case TSA-restricted items, like full-sized bottles, were left behind from a previous trip. This simple scan can help you get through security faster, especially when airports are crowded.

If you’re traveling with gifts, Jacobson suggests wrapping them at your destination because TSA agents may need to open them.

When deciding which clothes and shoes to pack, Belanger says to check the “feels like” temperature for a better sense of the weather, especially if you’re not used to the cold.

And don't forget a REAL ID is required to fly within the U.S., or you'll need to bring another accepted form of ID, like a passport or military ID.

People with iPhones can now also add their U.S. passport details to Apple Wallet, which can be scanned at participating airports if travelers don’t have a REAL ID. More than a dozen states already accept some form of a mobile ID at airport checkpoints, and travelers can go to the TSA website for more details.

Whether driving is your top choice or backup plan, AAA spokesperson Aixa Diaz suggests checking your tires, car battery and fluids, then hitting the road with a full tank of gas as early as possible to avoid traffic. Last year, AAA said, it responded to nearly 600,000 emergency roadside assistance calls during the Thanksgiving travel period to help drivers stranded by dead batteries, flat tires and empty tanks.

According to an analysis by Google Maps:

— Traffic on Wednesday is expected to be 14% heavier than usual between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., with peak traffic from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

— On Thanksgiving Day, the roads will be busiest between noon and 3 p.m.

— When it’s time to head home, avoid driving from 12 to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, when traffic is heaviest.

“...is an informed passenger,” Jacobson likes to say.

Download your airline's app to track your flight status, and check it regularly as your travel date approaches. That way, if your flight is canceled the day before, you can quickly look for alternatives.

Driving or flying, leave earlier than you think you need to. Knowing you won't have to rush to your destination can help calm any nerves, whether it's lingering anxiety from the shutdown or because you're traveling with young kids or someone who needs extra help getting around.

“These are some very simple things to think about, but they’re important things to think about,” Jacobson said.

Cars drive on the Baltimore/Washington Parkway as seen from an overpass in Halethorpe, Md., Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Travellers queue up for shuttle bus to car rental agencies outside the main terminal of Denver International Airport Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Travelers move through the main terminal of Denver International Airport, Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Travelers make their way through the Nashville International Airport, Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Travelers wait to check in for their flight at the Nashville International Airport, Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Travelers make their way through the Nashville International Airport, Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Travelers make their way through security lines at the Nashville International Airport, Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Jordan Heid uses an old film camera as he arrives for his flight at the Nashville International Airport, Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Travelers walk to their airline flights at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025, in Romulus, Mich. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

A traveler checks their airline flight at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025, in Romulus, Mich. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

A TSA agent pushes bins along at a security checkpoint at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, at DFW Airport, Texas, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Myrna Santiago, right, a customer service agent with American Airlines, assists travelers at a ticketing gate at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, at DFW Airport, Texas, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Travelers wait at a gate for their departing flight at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, at DFW Airport, Texas, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Travelers stand in line at a ticketing gate at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, at DFW Airport, Texas, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune announced Wednesday what they are calling a path forward to fully funding the Department of Homeland Security and will try to end a record partial government shutdown.

They said in a joint statement that “in the coming days,” Republicans in the House and Senate would follow through on President Donald Trump’s directive to fully fund the department, using two parallel tracks. According to the plan, most of the department could be funded through an agreement with Democratic senators, with the exception of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Border Patrol. Republicans would try later to fund those agencies through party-line budgeting legislation.

Neither outcome is guaranteed, and the strategy could potentially still face opposition from Democrats, if not the GOP’s own ranks.

“We appreciate and share the President’s determination to once and for all bring an end to the Democrat DHS shutdown,” said Johnson, R-La., and Thune, R-S.D.

The plan represents a return to what Republican senators had in mind when, early Friday, they passed a bipartisan funding agreement through unanimous consent. The Senate could approve similar legislation as soon as Thursday morning, but even if that happened, it was unclear how quickly the bill could move through the House.

House Republicans refused to go along with the Senate plan last week, instead changing the bill to fund all of DHS for 60 days.

As a result, the shutdown continued as lawmakers left for their home states and congressional districts for a two-week recess.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, in a statement, said "Republican divisions derailed a bipartisan agreement, making American families pay the price for their dysfunction."

The announcement from the GOP leaders showed that for now, Thune and Johnson are on the same page. Their working relationship experienced a rupture late last week when Johnson rejected Thune’s plan.

The top Republicans are hopeful the path ahead will win over skeptical GOP colleagues, especially because Trump has given his support for the emerging strategy. But the most conservative lawmakers are likely to demand full funding for all of Trump’s immigration and deportation operations.

It is uncertain whether Johnson could find enough support from the House to recall lawmakers back to Washington before their spring recess ends in mid-April.

Meanwhile, the budget package being prepared is expected to fund ICE and Border Patrol through the remainder of Trump’s term, as a away to try to ensure those agencies are no longer at risk from Democrats objecting to the president’s immigration enforcement agenda.

Earlier Wednesday, Trump weighed in on the shutdown, using a social media post to seemingly call on Republicans to fund the immigration portions of DHS through a bill that would not require Democratic support. He said he wanted the legislation on his desk by June 1.

“We are going to work as fast, and as focused, as possible to replenish funding for our Border and ICE Agents, and the Radical Left Democrats won’t be able to stop us,” Trump said.

Sen. Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., speaks during a news conference after a policy luncheon on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, March 24, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)