Airlines are getting into the Thanksgiving spirit and are predicting that passenger movements for the November event will be the busiest on record.

United is offering a ‘dynamic seat map’ that allows children under 12 to be seated next to an adult in their party for free at time of booking. Since announcing this new feature earlier this year, United has helped more than 200,000 families book seats together for free as well as offering pre-flight menu ordering.

American Airlines meanwhile has focussed on ensuring as many of it’s 130,000 employees are working to make sure the projected 7.8m pax on its aircraft over the holiday get to their destination as smoothly as possible. For this airline alone, the number is 500,000 higher than last year.

“We are running the best operation in our airline’s history,” said David Seymour, American’s Chief Operating Officer. “As our customers travel to spend time with their friends and loved ones this Thanksgiving, we look forward to continuing to deliver a safe and reliable operation they can count on, and that’s thanks to the hard work of our more than 130,000 team members.”

Interestingly, two airlines that have prepared special on-board menus to mark the occasion are not U.S based carriers. Emirates will be offering special menus on flights from Dubai – USA – Dubai, between the 23-30 of November to celebrate Thanksgiving. Traditional festive fare will also be served in the lounges of Dubai, Boston, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco from 18-25 November.

Customers in First Class will be able to savour traditional dishes like sweet potato soup with succulent poached lobster and chives, followed by Thanksgiving turkey leg roulade with pumpkin purée, cranberry jus lié, brussels sprouts, steamed green beans, glazed baby carrots, veal bacon strips and roasted pecans. There are similar, if less elaborate, seasonal offerings for the other classes as well.

Meanwhile, BA will also be serving up a Thanksgiving feast on November 23. Customers across all cabins will have the choice of a festive main course and dessert. Customers travelling in First and Club World will be able to enjoy a traditional turkey roast with all the trimmings, followed by either a classic pumpkin pie featuring nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger spices, a pumpkin and walnut cake, or a pumpkin-flavoured cheesecake.