AAA: 81.8 Million Travelers to Head 50 Miles or More From Home Over Thanksgiving

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WASHINGTON, D.C.—AAA projects 81.8 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home over the Thanksgiving holiday period from Tuesday, November 25 to Monday, December 1. This year’s domestic travel forecast includes an additional 1.6 million travelers compared to last Thanksgiving, setting a new overall record.

“Thanksgiving travel numbers are always impressive because this holiday has become synonymous with heading out of town to spend time with loved ones,” said Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel. “People are willing to brave the crowds and make last-minute adjustments to their plans to make lifelong memories, whether it’s visiting extended family or meeting up with friends.”

Thanksgiving Travelers by Mode of Transportation

By Car: AAA projects at least 73 million people will travel by car, which marks nearly 90 percent of Thanksgiving travelers and an additional 1.3 million people on the road compared to last Thanksgiving. That number could end up being higher if some air travelers decide to drive instead of fly following recent flight cancellations.

According to AAA car rental partner Hertz, Wednesday is expected to be the busiest pick-up day. The top 5 markets with the highest demand are Orlando, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Newark. According to AAA booking data, domestic car rentals are 15 percent cheaper this Thanksgiving compared to last year.

Regarding gas prices, drivers are paying about the same as last year, when the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline was $3.06 on Thanksgiving Day. AAA also recommends checking your battery and tire pressure. Last Thanksgiving holiday period, AAA responded to nearly 600,000 emergency roadside assistance calls to help stranded drivers with issues like dead batteries, flat tires, and empty fuel tanks.

AAA and MADD remind travelers about the dangers of impaired driving. This time of year can be particularly deadly on the roads. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, from 2019 to 2023, the death toll in drunk-driving crashes during Thanksgiving festivities was 868, representing more than one-third (35 percent) of all fatalities in traffic crashes during that holiday period. Have a plan in place before Thanksgiving, and use a rideshare, designate a sober driver, or take public transit to ensure everyone’s safety.

By Air: According to AAA, 6 million U.S. travelers are expected to take domestic flights over the Thanksgiving holiday period, a 2 percent increase compared to 2024. That figure could end up being slightly lower as some air travelers make other plans following recent flight cancellations. The number of Thanksgiving air travelers over the past several years—with the exception of 2020—has been between 5 and 6 million.

According to AAA data, which is based on what travelers paid when they booked their Thanksgiving trips, a round-trip domestic flight is averaging $700, which is similar to last year. It’s cheaper to fly on Thanksgiving Day itself, but the flight home is what drives up the ticket price since Sunday and Monday are the busiest return days.

By Other Modes: Travel by other modes is expected to increase by 8.5 percent to nearly 2.5 million people. Those travelers are taking trips by bus, train, and cruise. Buses and trains could see an uptick in last-minute bookings this year.

Cruising is building on its record post-pandemic growth. This year alone, AAA is projecting 20.7 million American cruise passengers. That number is even higher for 2026, with AAA forecasting 21.7 million U.S. travelers taking ocean cruises.

AAA’s Thanksgiving Top Destinations

The top holiday destinations listed below are based on AAA booking data for the Thanksgiving travel period. Florida is the most popular domestic destination, thanks to the area’s theme parks and cruise ports. The international list is a mix of Europe, the Caribbean, and Australia, for its warm spring weather this time of year.

Domestic