Record Travel Expected: 81.8 Million Americans Traveling for Thanksgiving Holiday

AAA forecasts that a whopping 81.8 million Americans will travel for this year’s Thanksgiving holiday. That’s equivalent to 1.6 million more travelers compared to last year. This projection represents travelers traveling over 50 miles from home between November 25 and December 1. This marks a new record, rebounding from the 56.8 million travelers recorded in 2020 during the pandemic.

6 Million Americans Expected to Fly

Even with the longest-running government shutdown in the U.S., which ended on November 12, AAA forecasts that 6 million Americans will fly during the Thanksgiving holiday. The forecast shows a 2% increase compared to 2024’s numbers. Flight cancellations are down following the shutdown, when the FAA had to slow air traffic at many busy airports due to a lack of air traffic controllers.

However, on November 16, the FAA announced that it was lifting all restrictions on commercial flights, prompting airlines to resume their regular schedules the following day.

Airlines for America projects an average of 2.8 million passengers flying per day over the holiday period.

“We’re all looking forward to going home for the holidays. Our carriers have been working to fully prepare for what’s expected to be a record-breaking Thanksgiving,” says Airlines for America President and CEO Chris Sununu.

AAA Expects 73 Million to Drive This Thanksgiving Holiday

The federation of motorclub said that many travelers have opted to drive this year because of the recent shutdown.

AAA spokesperson Aixa Diaz said, “A lot of air travelers have been taking a wait-and-see approach to Thanksgiving and riding out the recent cancellations.”

AAA expects 73 million people to drive, up by 1.3 million from last year’s numbers. In addition, car rental agency Hertz expects November 26 to be the busiest day for rental car pickups.

This year, drivers can rent cars domestically for 15% less than last year. Gas prices, on the other hand, remain around the same level, according to AAA’s data. The group recommends that drivers fill up a day before traveling to their destination.