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Thanksgiving is often a popular time to travel and, according to recently released estimates from AAA, this year is poised to be another busy holiday season.
About 79.9 million people will travel at least 50 miles from where they live in the six-day period starting Nov. 26, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, and Dec. 2, the Monday after the holiday, AAA said Monday.
Of those expected travelers, 71.7 million will drive, 5.84 million will fly, and 2.3 million will use transportation such as ships, buses and trains, according to the agency.
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AAA noted that it used an additional two days for its 2024 forecast.
Traffic on Interstate 405 on November 23, 2022, in Los Angeles. AAA is expecting its third busiest Thanksgiving travel season on record this year. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times via/Getty Images)
This number will represent “an increase of 1.7 million people compared to last year and two million more than 2019,” he said.
In 2023, about 78.18 million people were predicted to go around Thanksgiving, according to AAA, and that number is expected to be 77.78 million in 2019.
A forecasted 71.1 million drives and 5.84 million flights this year will set a record for the Thanksgiving holiday season, AAA said.
Travelers check the departure list at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport before the Thanksgiving holiday, Nov. 24, 2021. (Lindsey Wasson/File/Reuters)
Last year, about 12 million flyers passed through security checkpoints between Nov. 22 and 26, according to TSA data.
AAA also noted that cruise demand helped drive nearly 9% year-over-year over forecast Thanksgiving travel by means other than automobiles and airplanes.
“Thanksgiving is the busiest travel holiday, and this year we expect to set new records for everything from driving to flying to cruises,” said Stacey Barber, AAA’s vice president of travel.
Drivers can expect to see more congested roads on the Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons before Thanksgiving, AAA reported, citing INRIX data.
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Filling up the gas tank may not hurt drivers’ wallets this year during Thanksgiving, which will be a relief for many, the agency said.
The average cost of a gallon of gas could be less than $3, AAA predicted. Across the US, a gallon of regular gas was $3.071 as of Monday afternoon.
The AAA ratings for holiday travel come as many are making plans for their fast-approaching Thanksgiving meal.
The AAA ratings for holiday travel come as many are making plans for their fast-approaching Thanksgiving meal. (Kirk Mckoy/Los Angeles Times via / Getty Images)
A Thanksgiving meal for 10 people using brand-name ingredients will cost $90 this year, according to a recent report from Wells Fargo. For private-label items only, it found the same holiday deal could be $17 cheaper.
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Thanksgiving weekend is poised to be a busy shopping season, as the National Retail Federation (NRF) reports that 183.4 million people will do so online or in a physical store between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday.
131.7 million Americans have plans to shop on Black Friday, according to the NRF.
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