If there’s a week every year business travel warriors would rather stay home, Thanksgiving week is it. This year, more so than others because it’s the first since new security measures limiting carry-on liquids were instituted.

According to AAA, 37.2 million Americans will travel this week. Most of them n 83 percent n will drive, taking advantage of gas prices that are lower than they’ve been most of the year. But that still leaves around seven million who will crowd their way through airports. Nobody has yet tried to figure out how many of the people flying are doing so for the first time since new airport security rules were put in place regarding carry-on liquids.

Those are likely to be people who might not know, you can’t bring a Costco-sized bottle of shampoo for the whole family in carry-on luggage. (All carry-on liquids must be in containers no larger than 3 ounces each and placed in a quart-sized transparent plastic bag n think Ziploc or Baggie.)

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Each year, the day before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after Thanksgiving are the two busiest days for airline travel. Wednesday, airports are looking at crowds of 50 percent more passengers than on a normal Wednesday. The Sunday after Thanksgiving sees passenger traffic jump by 15 percent on a day of the week when passenger traffic is usually high anyway.

With airliner after airliner packed as full as it can be, the air travel infrastructure is taxed to the maximum. The slightest hiccup can cause a ripple effect throughout the system that can become a major delay. And when it does, count on the loudest moron to take it out on the gate agent or flight attendant as if it were their fault. Which only causes further delays.

As a result of new Transportation Security Administration (TSA) rules instituted since a terrorist plot was uncovered Aug. 10 in London, the U.S. Department of Transportation says the amount of checked luggage has increased about 25 percent. Statistically, airlines lose less than one percent of all check luggage. But on an annual basis that totals about 200,000 bags.

While airlines don’t lose a high percentage of bags, many do go astray. That can be a problem in a Thanksgiving week when a bag may catch up to a passenger just in time for the return trip home. Transportation Department statistics show there was a 92 percent increase in the number of mishandled bags n 183,234 more reported cases n in September compared to the same month a year ago.

So, what’s a body to do n experienced or not n when traveling this year?

On the road:

• Make sure the vehicle has been properly checked out by a mechanic. If there’s not enough time at this late date, consider renting a car. Thanksgiving isn’t necessarily a big weekend for rental cars so most agencies, especially in a tourist market such as Tucson, should still have vehicles available.

• Figure on taking more time than normal, especially if you’re traveling Wednesday afternoon and Sunday. Although highways leaving Tucson aren’t typically the kind that get jammed n except Interstate 10 to Phoenix at times n the roads could be busy.

• Check your temper. Road rage won’t help things go quicker. Remember you’re not in a hurry.

• Bring games or other time wasters if the whole family is traveling together, just like on a summer road trip.

• Don’t leave valuables in view when making stops. Put as much in the trunk as possible.

At the airport:

• Make sure the airline has your phone number. Your mobile phone is best.

• Mark your luggage in some bold way so it can be quickly recognized from the others at baggage claim.

• Pack at least one outfit for each person traveling in each bag so when one bag is misplaced, everyone still has a change of clothes.

• Follow the TSA rules: 3-1-1 on Air Travel. Translated, 3-1-1 means your carry-on liquids must be in a three-ounce or smaller bottle placed inside a one quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag and only one plastic bag per passenger can be placed in screening bin. The three-ounce container size is a security measure. The one-quart bag per person limits the total liquid volume each traveler can bring. Consolidating bottles into one bag speeds X-ray screening. This has the potential to be your biggest travel headache. For more information, go to the TSA’s website: www.tsa.gov/311.

• Check-in online and print boarding passes from home, which usually can be done 24 hours ahead of flight time.

• Leave early for the airport.

If you’re flying out of Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, you’ll be a part of a crowd that is projected to make it the 10th busiest domestic airport this week, according to the travel website Orbitz. Sky Harbor officials recommend passengers check-in two hours ahead of flight time. Judging from past experience, some security wait times on Wednesday could top 38 minutes, according to TSA. US Airways has instituted a policy cutting off luggage check-in 45 minutes ahead of flights departing Phoenix. These factors, along with the two hours’ driving time up I-10, mean Tucsonans should plan on giving themselves at least 4½ hours to get to Sky Harbor. On the way up, call ahead to get the latest information on parking at Sky Harbor by calling (602) 273-4545.

For those flying out Tucson International, wait times will be considerably shorter, probably topping out at less than 20 minutes at the busiest of times. Locally, the airport doesn’t give any advice on how much ahead of flight time to check in, except to note that passengers should allow extra time during the holidays. While some parking lots at Tucson International will fill up, the airport says it has more than enough space to accommodate extra cars in its Park ’N Save lot.

• Check bags curbside. That $2 per bag tip to the skycap is money well-spent.

• Know the three-letter code for your destination airport and make sure your bags are tagged correctly. Incorrect tagging is the biggest cause of misplaced bags.

• Have a secure bag tag with your name and phone number on the outside of the bag and put the same information inside the bag.

• Make sure everyone in your group has their government-issued photo ID and boarding pass ready at the beginning of the security line. For young children, bring a birth certificate, just in case.

• If your flight is delayed, don’t leave the departure gate area until new departure information is officially posted and announced.

• On the return trip, do it all over again, except realize you should probably allow even more time because you’re probably less familiar with the airport n especially if it’s a large one.

One final note, be sure to keep an eye on the weather. Remember, in cases where delays are caused by weather or factors beyond an airline’s control, the airline is not required to give you anything.

E-mail comments for publication to editor@azbiz.com. Contact David Hatfield by e-mail at dhatfield@azbiz.com or call (520) 295-4237.