Travel group AAA said it is expecting a record 80 million Americans to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday, roughly 1.7 million more than last year.
AAA’s forecast covers Nov. 26 through Dec. 2. The agency said that this is the first year the forecast includes the Tuesday before and the Monday after the holiday.
“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,” AAA Travel Vice President Stacey Barber said in a Monday news release.
AAA anticipates a record 71.7 million people will travel by car over Thanksgiving, accounting for about 90 percent of all travelers.
Atlanta, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Oahu, Orlando, and Phoenix are the cities displaying the highest rental car demand, with the busiest pickup day expected to be the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. The busiest rental return days will be the Monday and Tuesday after the holiday.
AAA’s data do not include those traveling less than 50 miles.
Best Times to Avoid Traffic
According to transportation data analyst INRIX, the worst times to travel by car over Thanksgiving are Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons.
The best time to hit the road is Thanksgiving Day itself when interstates and highways are typically clear.
People planning to drive between Nov. 25 and Nov. 27 are advised to go in the mornings before 11 or 10 a.m. as congestion is expected during the afternoons when daily commuters are on the roads.
However, Friday morning is best avoided, whereas on Saturday, traffic will be worst in the afternoon until 8 p.m.
If you plan on returning home on Sunday, it is best to travel in the morning, before noon.
Those coming back on Monday will face not only a crowd of fellow travelers all through the day but regular commuters as well, unless you are driving before 8 a.m. or after 7 p.m.
“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, LA, Seattle, and Washington, DC, where traffic is expected to be more than double what it typically is on a normal day.”
The AAA also listed a table of peak congestion by metro for various U.S. cities.
Air Travel
Air travel is also facing a record number of travelers—5.84 million (7.3 percent of all travelers)—nearly 2 percent more compared to last year and a nearly 11 percent increase over 2019.
The top flight destinations are commonly places with warm weather, such as Florida, Hawaii, and the Caribbean, according to AAA.
Travelers are paying more to travel domestically this year, with airfares up 3 percent according to AAA booking data, and even 9 percent, according to travel booking app Hopper. Still, the number of bookings is similar to last year, said AAA.
International flight bookings are up 23 percent, in part because international airfares are down 5 percent from last year.
Other modes of travel—train, buses, cruises—are up by almost 9 percent, owing to the rising popularity of cruising which is up 20 percent compared to last year.
“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.”