Nearly 80 million Americans are expected to hit the road, rails or skies this Thanksgiving, setting a new record for the busiest travel period since the holiday season, according to AAA.
The national travel agency expects 79.9 million people to travel 50 miles or more from home between Tuesday and Monday. This is the first time AAA has included the Tuesday before and the Monday after Thanksgiving in its holiday forecast.
This year’s projection is an increase of 1.7 million people compared to last year and 2 million more than in 2019, the pre-pandemic holiday season.
“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, AAA Vice President of 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 predicts 71.7 million people will drive over Thanksgiving, up 1.3 million from last year. This year’s number beats the pre-pandemic total of 70.6 million Thanksgiving road-trippers in 2019.
AAA predicts a record 5.84 million people will fly domestically this Thanksgiving, a 2% increase compared to last year and an almost 11% increase over 2019.
The worst times to travel by car over Thanksgiving are Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons, according to INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights. Hitting the road on Thanksgiving Day is ideal because interstates and highways are typically clear.
INRIX advises Sunday drivers to leave early and Monday drivers to expect a mix of travelers and work commuters. “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.
