Cincinnati Bengals’ Flight Delayed Over Five Hours Before Thanksgiving Game Against Ravens

BALTIMORE — November 27, 2025 — The Cincinnati Bengals experienced a significant travel delay ahead of their Thanksgiving Day game against the Baltimore Ravens, officials said. The team’s flight, originally scheduled to depart from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport at 5 p.m. ET on Wednesday, did not take off until 10:32 p.m. ET, according to flight tracking data.

As a result, the Bengals landed at Baltimore/Washington International Airport at 12:03 a.m. on Thanksgiving, well past their planned arrival time of 6:19 p.m. ET. The team did not reach their hotel until after midnight, complicating preparations for the evening’s AFC North matchup.

WLWT in Cincinnati reported that the Bengals had to switch planes during the trip, though no official explanation was provided for the change. Despite the delay, the team was able to arrive in time for the game, which was scheduled for later that night.

The Bengals entered the game with a 3-8 record and were welcoming back starting quarterback Joe Burrow, who had been sidelined since Week 2 due to toe surgery. Burrow had participated fully in practice but did not play in the previous Sunday’s game, as head coach Zac Taylor opted to rest him ahead of the short week and the critical Thursday night contest.

Cincinnati had lost its last four games leading up to the matchup. Burrow, however, had maintained an undefeated streak in his starts since December 2024, going 7-0. The game marked the fourth consecutive prime-time road appearance against the Ravens for Burrow, who had previously expressed a desire to play such a game in Cincinnati.

The travel delay posed challenges for the Bengals’ preparation but did not prevent them from arriving in Baltimore for the scheduled game against their AFC North rivals.