Thanksgiving travel tips for a smooth Seattle ride

• The worst times to travel by car will be Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon and the best time will be Thanksgiving Day itself, when interstates and highways are typically clear, according to Kirkland-based INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights.

What they're saying: Drivers should follow traffic apps and local news alerts to avoid major delays, Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX, said in a written statement.

• He said it's especially important in big cities like Seattle, where traffic is expected to be more than double what it typically is on a normal day.

Zoom in: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is preparing for nearly 1.5 million passengers from Nov. 21-30, with the busiest days expected to be next Tuesday, next Thursday and Nov. 30.

• With more than 300,000 passengers expected on vessels between Nov. 27 and Dec. 1, Washington State Ferries is warning of long lines for car travelers.
• The Washington State Department of Transportation has posted traffic charts for Nov. 27 through Dec. 2 on routes that historically see the highest congestion, including Interstate 5 at the U.S.-Canada border.