About 73.2 million will drive in the days leading up to Thanksgiving and after
A record 82 million people are expected to travel in the days leading up to Thanksgiving and after, and most of them will hit the road, according to the AAA.
About 73.2 million will drive—a 1.8% increase from 2024—making cars the dominant mode of travel. Around 6 million are expected to fly, which is a 2% increase.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says this year will be the busiest Thanksgiving air-travel period in 15 years, with Tuesday pegged as the peak flying day.
For those taking the road
Transportation analytics firm INRIX warns that Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons will see the
worst road congestion. The best times to drive are before noon on Tuesday and by 11 A.M. on Wednesday.
Returning travelers should brace for heavy traffic on Sunday, while Monday after 8 P.M. could see lighter traffic.
Weather also affects travel, with rain expected from Texas to Minnesota and heavy snow in Nebraska, the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.