Nearly 80 million travelers are expected to commute by car and airplane this Thanksgiving in a record-breaking projection. 

Approximately 79.9 million travelers are expected to head 50 miles or more from home over this Thanksgiving holiday travel period. This is 1.7 million people more compared to last year and 2 million more compared to pre-pandemic 2019, according to American Automobile Association (AAA) officials. 

“Thanksgiving is the busiest holiday for travel, and this year, we’re expecting to set new records across the board, from driving to flying and cruising,” said Stacey Barber, Vice President of AAA Travel. “Americans reconnect with family and friends over Thanksgiving, and travel is a big part of that. AAA continues to see travel demand soar post-pandemic with our members looking for new adventures and memorable vacations.” 

AAA projects a record 71.7 million people are to travel by car over Thanksgiving – that’s an additional 1.3 million travelers on the road compared to last year. Gas prices are also significantly lower this holiday season compared to the 2023 national average. 

Last Thanksgiving Day, average gas prices across the nation were $3.26. Falling oil prices this autumn may help push the national average below $3 a gallon for the first time since 2021, and that could happen before drivers hit the road for Thanksgiving, according to AAA officials. 

Thanksgiving air travelers are also expected to set a new record. AAA projects 5.84 million people are to fly domestically this holiday season. That’s an increase of 2 percent compared to last year and a nearly 11 percent increase over 2019.

Air travelers are paying 3 percent more for domestic Thanksgiving flights this year, while the number of flight bookings is similar to last year. International flight bookings are up 23 percent compared to last Thanksgiving, in part because the cost to fly internationally is down 5 percent, according to AAA officials. 

INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, says the worst times to travel by car over Thanksgiving are Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon. The best time to hit the road is Thanksgiving Day itself, when interstates and highways are typically clear.

“With a record number of travelers expected to be on the road, drivers should follow traffic apps and local news alerts to avoid major delays,” said Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX. “This is especially important for drivers in metropolitan areas like Boston, New York, L.A., Seattle, and Washington, DC, where traffic is expected to be more than double what it typically is on a normal day.”

For more information on peak holiday travel times this Thanksgiving Holiday season, visit AAA’s Website. 

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