Americans are gearing up for the Thanksgiving holiday. The busiest holiday for travel is only about a week away and AAA has its latest projections on how the busy travel season might look.
The group predicts 79.9 million Americans will drive, fly or take some other form of transportation 50 miles or farther during the Thanksgiving travel season.
The 2024 projection would be a 2% increase compared to last year or up by roughly 1.7 million travelers from 2023.
This year, AAA expanded its window for Thanksgiving holiday travel. It now goes from next Tuesday, Nov. 26, through Dec. 2, or the Monday after Thanksgiving.
Drivers will see lower gas prices. The national average is on pace to be below $3 per gallon for the first time since 2021.
Transportation experts say the best time to hit the road is Thanksgiving Day itself when the highways are less congested. The afternoons of Tuesday, Nov. 26 and Wednesday, Nov. 27 are the worst times, according to AAA.
After the holiday, AAA expects the roads to be busiest Dec. 1, the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Experts advise drivers to hit the road early in the morning if they plan on leaving that day.
If you plan on flying, AAA predicts about 5.8 million people will head to airports over the holiday week. That’s up by about 100,000 from last year.
Booking data shows the top destinations are warm places like Orlando and Las Vegas. Major metropolitan areas including Atlanta and Los Angeles are also popular among travelers.
Forecasters believe cooler temperatures, cold rain and snow in the higher elevations will arrive Sunday, Nov. 24, for the East Coast.
The U.S. Climate Prediction Center’s outlook shows California, the Pacific Northwest, Montana, the Dakotas, Nebraska, Iowa and Great Lakes States receiving above-average precipitation. However, meteorologists will know more as we get closer to Thanksgiving.
