AAA projects nearly 80 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more over the Thanksgiving holiday period, marking an increase of 1.7 million travelers from the previous year.
The forecast includes the Tuesday before and Monday after Thanksgiving for the first time to capture the flow of holiday travelers.
The big picture: A record 71.7 million individuals are expected to travel by car, with gas prices lower than the previous year, potentially dropping below $3 a gallon.
- Thanksgiving air travel is also projected to set a new record, with 5.84 million people expected to fly domestically.
- Nearly 2.3 million travelers are anticipated to use other modes of transportation, such as buses, cruises and trains, showing an increase compared to the previous year.
Go deeper: Transportation data provider INRIX suggests peak congestion times for travel by car over Thanksgiving, with Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons being the worst times for travel in major metropolitan areas.
- Top Thanksgiving destinations include warm weather locations domestically like Orlando and Miami, as well as international destinations in Europe and the Caribbean.
What they’re saying: “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.”
