A projected 79.9 million U.S. travelers will head 50 miles or more from home over the Thanksgiving holiday travel period, an increase of 1.7 million compared to last year and 2 million more than in 2019, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA).

The annual forecast now includes the Tuesday before and the Monday after Thanksgiving Day to capture the true flow of holiday travelers.

“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.”

Thanksgiving Travelers By Mode

By Car:

A record 71.7 million people will travel by car over Thanksgiving, an additional 1.3 million travelers on the road compared to last year.

This year’s number surpasses pre-pandemic numbers when 70.6 million people drove to their Thanksgiving destinations in 2019, according to AAA’s analysis.

One reason may be because gas prices are lower this Thanksgiving season compared to 2023.

AAA car rental partner Hertz says Atlanta, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Oahu, Orlando and Phoenix are the cities displaying the highest rental demand for the Thanksgiving holiday.

The busiest car pick-up day is expected to be the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and the busiest rental return days will be the Monday and Tuesday after the holiday.

By Air:

Thanksgiving air travel is also expected to set a new record.

AAA projects 5.84 million people will fly domestically this holiday, an increase of 2 percent compared to last year and a nearly 11 percent increase over 2019.

According to AAA booking data, air travelers are paying 3 percent more for domestic Thanksgiving flights this year, while the number of flight bookings is similar to last year.

International flight bookings are up 23 percent compared to last Thanksgiving, in part because the cost to fly internationally is down 5 percent.

By Other Modes:

Nearly 2.3 million people are expected to travel by other modes of transportation, including buses, cruises and trains, an increase of almost 9 percent compared to last year and an 18 percent jump over 2019, in large part due to the popularity of cruising.

According to AAA, the demand for cruises has been high since the pandemic. Domestic and international cruise bookings are up 20 percent compared to last Thanksgiving.

Best/Worst Times to Drive and Peak Congestion by Metro

The worst times to travel by car during the Thanksgiving holiday are Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon, according to INRIX, a transportation data and insights provider.

The best time to hit the road is Thanksgiving Day itself when interstates and highways are typically clear.

Drivers returning home on Sunday should leave early in the morning, and those coming back on Monday should expect a mix of travelers and work commuters on the road, it added.

“With a record number of travelers expected to be on the road, drivers should follow traffic apps and local news alerts to avoid major delays,” said Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX. “This is especially important for drivers in metropolitan areas like Boston, New York, LA, Seattle, and Washington, DC, where traffic is expected to be more than double what it typically is on a normal day.”

Top Thanksgiving Travel Destinations

Four Florida cities are on the list because of their beaches, theme parks and cruise ports.

Other top destinations include New York, California, Hawaii and Las Vegas.

Internationally, Europe and the Caribbean dominate the list for their beach resorts, tourist attractions and river cruises.