More than 55 million Americans expected to travel over Thanksgiving weekend

Traveling during Thanksgiving always seems to be hectic for many Americans, and this year seems to be no different.

AAA is projecting that over 55 million Americans will travel over Thanksgiving weekend, which is up by over 2% from last year. This year's travel forecast is also the third-highest Thanksgiving forecast since AAA began tracking holiday travel in 2000. The top two years were 2005 and 2019, respectively.

“For many Americans, Thanksgiving and travel are synonymous, and this holiday is certainly no exception,” said Ragina Cooper Ali, spokeswoman for AAA in Maryland and Washington, D.C., in a news release. “AAA’s Thanksgiving forecast is consistent with the strong travel demand we have seen all year. We expect more people to travel by road, air, and seas compared to last Thanksgiving, reflecting Americans continued desire to get away and spend time with loved ones."

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AAA projects that most Thanksgiving travelers will travel by car to their destinations. AAA projects that over 49 million Americans will drive, an increase of just under 2% compared to last year.

AAA is also expecting many travelers to fly over Thanksgiving. The projections show a 6.6 percent increase compared to last year, which could be the highest number of Thanksgiving air travelers since 2005. Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving are the busiest air travel days of the holiday weekend, and they are also the most expensive.

The number of people traveling by cruise, bus, and train over Thanksgiving is up nearly 11 percent over last year. AAA expects that over 1.5 million travelers will head out of town using these modes of transportation, which have rebounded nicely since the COVID-19 pandemic.

INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, expects Wednesday, November 22, to be the busiest day on the roads during the Thanksgiving holiday travel period. Average travel times are as high as 80 percent over normal in some metro areas. INRIX recommends leaving in the morning or after 6 p.m. to avoid the heaviest traffic.

“The day before Thanksgiving is notoriously one of the most congested days on our roadways. Travelers should be prepared for long delays, especially in and around major metros,” said Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX. “Knowing when and where congestion will build can help minimize holiday traffic frustrations. We advise drivers to use traffic apps, local DOT notifications, and 511 services for real-time updates.”

This holiday season, travelers are generally paying less for domestic trips compared to last year, and more for international vacations. AAA points out that the one exception is airfare, which is slightly more expensive for domestic flights this season and a bit lower for international flights. Here’s a breakdown of average booking prices for November and December, according to AAA data.

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AAA also included the top holiday destinations. The top cities on the list include warm weather destinations, theme parks, tourist attractions, historic sites and cruise port cities.

Orlando, FL

Fort Lauderdale, FL

Miami, FL

Anaheim, CA

Tampa, FL

New York City, NY

Las Vegas, NV

Honolulu, HI

Maui, HI

San Diego, CA

Cancun, Mexico

Mexico City, Mexico

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Rome, Italy

Montego Bay, Jamaica

Nassau, Bahamas

Bali, Papua New Guinea

Paris, France

London, England