Thanksgiving Border Crossing 2025: Your Complete Guide

Thanksgiving week creates the year’s most challenging border crossing conditions. This guide helps you navigate peak holiday travel successfully.

Peak Traffic Patterns

Wednesday before Thanksgiving: Heaviest southbound traffic from US to Mexico, northbound from Canada. Wait times triple normal averages. Evening crossings see 3-6 hour waits at major ports.

Sunday after Thanksgiving: Return traffic overwhelms all crossing points. Afternoon and evening create gridlock. Monday morning remains busy as travelers extend weekends.

Enhanced Enforcement During Holidays

CBP doesn’t relax standards during holidays. Expect:

Thorough document verification despite long lines
Increased scrutiny of food declarations
Random vehicle inspections are more common
Zero tolerance for incomplete or inaccurate declarations

Food Declaration Requirements

Thanksgiving creates unique food transportation challenges. All food must be declared, regardless of preparation or packaging.

Prohibited items:

Raw meats and poultry (includes that fresh turkey)
Most fruits and vegetables
Unpasteurized dairy products
Items containing meat (even baked goods with meat ingredients)

Allowed with declaration:

Commercially canned foods (sealed)
Hard cheeses (properly packaged)
Most baked goods without meat
Spices and dried herbs

Family Travel Considerations

Traveling with children requires additional preparation:

All minors need proper documentation (a passport or a birth certificate, depending onthe crossing method)
Children traveling without both parents need notarized consent letters
Be prepared to explain custody arrangements if questioned
Have contact information for all adults readily available

Timing Strategies

Best crossing times during Thanksgiving week: