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Has air travel recovered in time for the Thanksgiving rush? Officials say yes

After the federal government shutdown, TSA agents are getting paid again and expecting to screen more than 17 million passengers over the next week. The FAA says it's ready for the holiday rush.
Has air travel recovered in time for the Thanksgiving rush? Officials say yes
Travelers line up for security clearance at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
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By car and by plane, a record number of Americans are set to travel for Thanksgiving.

After the federal government shutdown snarled air travel, TSA agents are getting paid again and expecting to screen more than 17 million passengers over the next week.

Air traffic control staffing levels are back to normal after absences caused thousands of flight cancellations during the lapse in government funding.

The FAA says it's ready for the holiday rush.

"The airlines, the travel sector in general, airports, TSA, FAA especially, for us this week is our Super Bowl, and I'm here to tell you we've got a great plan," said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford.

"We're looking forward to an extraordinarily successful week of travel for the literally tens of millions of Americans that will be flying this week."

With the FAA still in a years-long push to fill a shortage of 3,000 controllers, isolated air traffic delays and cancellations are still possible.

But weather remains the likelier cause of any hiccups at the airport.

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Meanwhile, if you're one of the 73 million Americans who AAA says will drive for the holiday, there's good news at the gas pump.

"Most Americans are going to see gas prices roughly where they were last year, the national average at $3.02 a gallon, about 26 states seeing prices lower than last year," said, Patrick De Haan, Head of Petroleum Analysis at GasBuddy.

Data from Google Maps suggests roads will be busiest Wednesday from 1 to 3 pm, and on Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 3 in the afternoon.