If you’re planning to hit the road or take to the skies this Thanksgiving, you’ll be joining nearly 80 million Americans in what’s shaping up to be the busiest holiday travel season on record.
AAA forecasts a record 79.9 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more this Thanksgiving holiday, surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 2 million. The expanded travel period now includes the Tuesday before and Monday after Thanksgiving, reflecting the dynamic flow of holiday travel.
A record 71.7 million travelers will hit the roads, 1.3 million more than last year. Drivers are expected to benefit from falling gas prices, with rates potentially dipping below $3 per gallon in many states east of the Rockies.
Air travel is projected to reach 5.84 million passengers, up 2% from last year and 11% higher than in 2019. International travel demand has surged, with bookings up 23%, spurred by lower flight costs.
Alternative travel methods, including buses, trains, and cruises, are seeing an 8.9% increase over last year, driven by booming cruise demand.
The busiest travel times will be Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons, with lighter traffic on Thanksgiving Day itself. Sunday and Monday returns are expected to see mixed congestion.
Travelers are advised to use navigation tools to avoid delays, especially in major metropolitan areas.
