NEW YORK (Reuters):

The first stuffing that millions of Americans will encounter over the United States Thanksgiving Day weekend will likely be on an airplane.

While there will not be any more food on flights, there will be many more people and their luggage crammed on planes.

Planes will be flying fuller than ever during this holiday weekend, likely leading to long lines at security and plenty of lost bags.

"We have projected that this will be a record," said David Castelveter, a spokesman for the Air Transport Association (ATA).

ATA expects a record 25 million people will board U.S. flights during one of the busiest travel periods of the year, three per cent more than last year.

It looks for flights on most days during the holiday weekend to be more than 80 per cent full, and more than 90 per cent full on the peak days of Sunday and Monday as Americans flock home.

Robust travel demand last holiday season kickstarted the industry's recent recovery, allowing airlines to raise fares and post profits after years of losses.

Carriers such as AMR Corp's American Airlines, UAL Corp.'s United Airlines and Continental Airlines have continued to raise prices, which are on average about 10 per cent to 15 per cent higher than a year ago, said Terry Trippler of travel club myvacationpassport.com.

Also, Northwest Airlines Corp. experienced minor delays at its Minneapolis hub after shifting work to third-party aircraft cleaners.

Although in place for weeks, the security measures will be new to many Thanksgiving travellers and that could force people to check bags at the last minute, further putting stress on the system.

"It is likely that there will be more bags lost or mishandled this Thanksgiving," said Ziff.

Some travellers have adjusted plans in order to avoid the worst of the rush.

Robin Ottaway, sales manager at Brooklyn Brewery, will be flying with his wife and baby to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, from the New York area, on Thursday rather than Wednesday, and will be returning early Sunday morning instead of in the afternoon.

Although the times for him and his family are less convenient, Ottaway said he did it "to avoid traffic, not for a cheaper ticket."

Airlines, meanwhile, are bringing in extra staff to handle bags and check in passengers, and some are providing passengers with additional holiday cheer.

JetBlue Airways Corp. aims to calm harried travellers by offering passengers flying on Thanksgiving Day a free beer or cocktail.