AAA projects that more than 81.8 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home during the Thanksgiving holiday period from Nov. 25 to Dec. 1, marking the busiest Thanksgiving for travel on record. The forecast reflects an increase of 1.6 million travelers compared to last year, underscoring the holiday’s enduring draw for family gatherings and reunions.
Road travel will dominate once again, with an estimated 73 million people driving to their destinations — nearly 90% of all travelers. AAA says lower car rental prices, steady gas costs, and concerns over recent flight cancellations could push even more travelers onto highways. Rental company Hertz expects Wednesday to be the busiest pick-up day, with high demand in Orlando, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Newark. Drivers are urged to prepare vehicles ahead of time, as AAA responded to almost 600,000 roadside calls during last year’s Thanksgiving period.
Authorities and safety advocates warn that the holiday is also one of the most dangerous times for impaired driving. Between 2019 and 2023, drunk-driving crashes accounted for 35% of Thanksgiving road fatalities. Travelers are encouraged to plan rides, designate sober drivers or use public transportation.
Air travel is expected to rise modestly, with 6 million passengers projected to fly domestically — a 2% increase from 2024. High demand continues to keep roundtrip flights at an average of about $700, though flying on Thanksgiving Day itself remains a cost-saving option. Many travelers adjust their return dates to avoid the busiest airports on Sunday and Monday.
Travel by bus, train and cruise will see the biggest percentage jump, growing 8.5% to nearly 2.5 million travelers. Cruise bookings remain especially strong as families opt for warm-weather getaways in the Caribbean, where most expenses are prepaid and multigenerational trips are easy to plan.
Florida dominates AAA’s list of top domestic Thanksgiving destinations, driven by theme parks and cruise ports. Internationally, Paris, Amsterdam, Vienna and Caribbean resort cities lead booking trends, with Sydney attracting travelers seeking spring weather.
INRIX, which analyzes national traffic patterns, expects the worst congestion on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons, with similarly heavy traffic for those returning home on Sunday. In some metro areas — including Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C. — travel times during peak periods may more than double.
Source: AAA