AAA expects record 81.8 million Thanksgiving travelers, with majority hitting the road
AAA expects Thanksgiving travel to reach an all-time high this year, projecting 81.8 million people will journey at least 50 miles from home between Tuesday, Nov. 25, and Monday, Dec. 1 — the busiest Thanksgiving travel period on record and up 1.6 million from last year.
“Thanksgiving travel numbers are always impressive because this holiday has become synonymous with heading out of town to spend time with loved ones,” said Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel. “People are willing to brave the crowds and make last-minute adjustments to their plans to make lifelong memories, whether it’s visiting extended family or meeting up with friends.”
Most travelers will drive
AAA estimates nearly 73 million people — about 90% of travelers — will travel by car, an increase of 1.3 million compared to last year. That figure may rise further as some flyers opt to drive following recent flight disruptions.
Hertz, AAA’s rental car partner, expects Wednesday to be the busiest rental day, especially in Orlando, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Newark. AAA says domestic car rentals are 15% cheaper this year.
Gas prices remain similar to last Thanksgiving, when the national average on the holiday was $3.06 per gallon. AAA urges drivers to check batteries, tire pressure and fill up the night before traveling; last year, the organization responded to nearly 600,000 roadside assistance calls over the Thanksgiving period.
AAA and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) reminded travelers of the severe risks of impaired driving. From 2019 to 2023, 868 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes during Thanksgiving festivities — more than one-third of all traffic deaths during that period.
Air travel sees slight increase
AAA projects 6 million travelers will fly domestically — a 2% increase over 2024. The average price for a roundtrip Thanksgiving flight is about $700, similar to last year.
Flying on Thanksgiving Day is typically cheaper, but return flights on Sunday and Monday drive up costs. Some travelers may shorten or extend their trips to avoid peak return travel.
Buses, trains and cruises on the rise
Nearly 2.5 million people are expected to travel by bus, train or cruise — an 8.5% jump from last year. AAA says cruise travel continues surging, with 20.7 million Americans expected to cruise in 2025 and an anticipated 21.7 million in 2026.
Cruises to the Caribbean remain popular for families spending Thanksgiving together.
Top Thanksgiving destinations
AAA’s booking data shows Florida dominating U.S. Thanksgiving travel, while European cities and warm-weather destinations top the international list.
Top U.S. destinations: Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Los Angeles/Anaheim, Tampa, New York, San Francisco, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Atlanta.
Top international destinations: Paris, Amsterdam, Vienna, Cancun, Punta Cana, Basel, Sydney, Barcelona, Budapest, Aruba.
Worst times to drive
Transportation analytics company INRIX warns that Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons before Thanksgiving will be the most congested travel periods nationwide. Sunday will bring heavy return traffic all day.
Drivers are encouraged to travel in the morning to avoid the worst backups and to Slow Down and Move Over for roadside crews.
A full list of peak congestion predictions by metro area is available in AAA’s Thanksgiving travel forecast.
