My US passport is expired, and I'm planning to fly internationally in 3 weeks (departing Dec 19-23, but ticket not yet booked). So it looks like I'm in between two processes - perhaps too late for expedited mail-in passport renewal (sounds like 3-5 weeks), and too early for in-person appointment at regional passport center (can only be within 14 days of travel and must have flight booked).

I'd rather not deal with traveling to my regional passport center (in NYC), but is that my only realistic option at this point? Would you risk doing the expedited mail-in process? I guess once I start that process, they'll have my passport and I wouldn't be able to switch to the in-person appointment if it looks like mail-in process won't complete in time?

What would you do in my situation?