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Millions of Americans are booking planes, trains and automobiles to gather around the table with their loved ones this holiday season.
An estimated 79.9 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from home over the Thanksgiving holiday travel period, the American Automobile Association predicts.
That is an increase of 1.7 million people compared to last year and 2 million more than in 2019 for those traveling sometime between the Tuesday before and the Monday after Thanksgiving Day, this year set for Thursday, Nov. 28.
“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,” Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, said in a statement. `
“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.”
But not everyone is booking a plane ticket.
A record 71.7 million people are expected to travel by car, meaning an additional 1.3 million travelers will be on the road compared to last year.
This estimate even surpasses pre-COVID-19 numbers.
One reason so many Americans may be loading up their cars this season is the price of gas, which has dropped from a $3.26 national average last year to below $3 this time around.
Those in Atlanta, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Oahu, Orlando and Phoenix are getting on the road the most as those cities have reported the highest car rental demand for Thanksgiving, according to Hertz.
The worst traffic is forecasted to back up pre-holiday on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons as friends and family gather to prepare the feasts.
If you don’t need to begin prepping too early, those getting in a car should hit the road on Thanksgiving Day when interstates and highways are typically clear.
“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,” Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at analytics company INRIX, advised in a statement.
“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.”
Those not wanting to sit in traffic are ready to hit the skies as air travel is also expected to set a new record.
About 5.84 million people are projected to fly domestically this Thanksgiving season.
But airports won’t be much more packed than last year.
That will only be a 2% increase compared to last year — but a nearly 11% increase from 2019.
The slight jump in plane ticket sales is likely because air travelers are paying 3% more for domestic flights this year.
Meanwhile, other modes of transportation — including buses, cruises and trains — are more crowded.
About 2.3 million people are expected to jump on one of these vessels to visit their loved ones this Thanksgiving — an increase of almost 9% compared to last year and an 18% jump over 2019.
The spike is mostly due to the increasing popularity of cruising the seas.
Domestic and international cruise bookings are up 20% compared to last Thanksgiving as more companies announce new routes.
However, all travel may be drastically interrupted as New York and New Jersey brace for an impending winter storm.
Parts of New York and New Jersey could get walloped by a wintry storm in a few days as brutal weather threatens the country — and millions of Americans’ travel plans — just in time for the start of Thanksgiving week.
