AAA 2025 Thanksgiving Travel Forecast

AAA tasks 81.8 million individuals will journey no less than 50 miles from residence over the Thanksgiving vacation interval from Tuesday, November 25 to Monday, December 1. This yr’s AAA domestic travel forecast consists of an extra 1.6 million vacationers in comparison with final Thanksgiving, setting a brand new total file. Thanksgiving is the only busiest vacation for journey in comparison with others like Memorial Day and July 4.

“Thanksgiving travel numbers are always impressive because this holiday has become synonymous with heading out of town to spend time with loved ones,” mentioned 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 tasks no less than 73 million individuals will journey by automotive, that’s practically 90 % of Thanksgiving vacationers and an extra 1.3 million individuals on the street in comparison with final Thanksgiving. That quantity might find yourself being greater if some air vacationers determine to drive as an alternative of fly following current flight cancellations.

For vacationers who’re renting automobiles, AAA automotive rental associate Hertz says Wednesday is predicted to be the busiest pick-up day. The high 5 markets with the best demand are Orlando, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Newark. According to AAA reserving information, home automotive leases are 15% cheaper this Thanksgiving in comparison with final yr.

At the pump, drivers are paying about the identical as final yr, when the nationwide common for a gallon of standard gasoline was $3.06 on Thanksgiving Day. Filling the tank is a good suggestion the night time earlier than a street journey because it’s one much less factor to do on journey day. AAA additionally recommends checking your battery and tire stress. Last Thanksgiving vacation interval, AAA responded to just about 600,000 emergency roadside help calls to assist stranded drivers with points like lifeless batteries, flat tires, and empty gasoline tanks.

The holidays may be significantly harmful time on the roads. AAA and MADD are reminding vacationers concerning the risks of impaired driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, from 2019 to 2023, the demise toll in drunk-driving crashes throughout Thanksgiving festivities was 868,  which is greater than one-third (35%) of all fatalities in visitors crashes throughout that vacation interval. Have a plan in place earlier than Thanksgiving, and use a rideshare, designate a sober driver, or take public transit to make sure everybody’s security.

By Air: According to AAA, 6 million U.S. vacationers are anticipated to take home flights over the Thanksgiving vacation interval, a 2% improve in comparison with 2024. That determine might find yourself being barely decrease as some air vacationers make different plans following current flight cancellations. The variety of Thanksgiving air vacationers over the previous a number of years – aside from 2020 – has been between 5 and 6 million.

According to AAA information, which relies on what vacationers paid after they booked their Thanksgiving journeys, a roundtrip home flight is averaging $700 which is analogous to final yr. It’s cheaper to fly on Thanksgiving Day itself, however the flight house is what drives up the ticket worth since Sunday and Monday are the busiest return days. Some vacationers shorten or lengthen their Thanksgiving journeys to keep away from flying on peak days.

By Other Modes: Travel by different modes is predicted to extend by 8.5% to just about 2.5 million individuals. Those vacationers are taking journeys by bus, prepare, and cruise. Buses and trains might see an uptick in last-minute bookings this yr.

Cruising is constructing on its file post-pandemic development. This yr alone, AAA say it is projecting 20.7 million American cruise passengers. That quantity is even greater for 2026 with AAA forecasting 21.7 million U.S. vacationers taking ocean cruises. Cruise holidays are interesting throughout Thanksgiving, particularly to the Caribbean, as a result of the climate is gentle, the journey is paid prematurely, and households can deliver grandparents and children, and everyone seems to be entertained.

Best And Worst Times To Hit The Road AAA, utilizing visitors information from analytics agency INRIX, says timing your Thanksgiving drive this yr could matter greater than the route itself. The Thanksgiving journey interval runs from Tuesday, November 25 via Monday, December 1, 2025, and the heaviest backups will come when all people tries to depart or return on the identical time.

Here’s how the week shakes out, in native time for no matter metro you’re in:

• Tuesday, Nov. 25 – Worst: roughly midday to 9 p.m. Best: earlier within the day, earlier than midday.
• Wednesday, Nov. 26 – Worst: late morning via night, about 11 a.m. to eight p.m. Best: earlier than 11 a.m.
• Thursday, Nov. 27 (Thanksgiving Day) – AAA and INRIX anticipate comparatively gentle visitors total. If you must drive, that is the calmest day to do it.
• Friday, Nov. 28 – Worst: early afternoon to early night, about 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Best: earlier than 11 a.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 29 – Worst: mid-afternoon into the night, about 1 p.m. to eight p.m. Best: earlier than 10 a.m.
• Sunday, Nov. 30 – One of the roughest return days. Worst: late morning via night, about 11 a.m. to eight p.m. Best: earlier than 11 a.m.
• Monday, Dec. 1 – If you push the journey residence to Monday, anticipate heavy visitors from about midday to eight p.m. The “escape hatch” is later at night time; INRIX says situations enhance after 8 p.m.

AAA’s backside line: in case you can roll early within the morning, do it. The nearer you get to lunchtime and the dinner hour on these peak days, the extra you’ll be sitting in brake lights as an alternative of on the desk. And irrespective of while you go, AAA reminds drivers to construct in further time, watch the climate, and have a sober driver lined up earlier than the vacation begins. 

Source: AAA.

Photo Credit: Ann Stryzhekin/Shutterstock.com.