AAA forecasts about 81.8 million Americans will travel 50+ miles for Thanksgiving, a 2% increase over last year. Most — 73.3 million — will drive, adding roughly 1.3 million more vehicles on the road; over 6 million are expected to fly. Other modes could rise to nearly 2.5 million. Gas averages about $3.07 and round-trip flights average roughly $700. Expect the worst road congestion Tuesday–Wednesday before the holiday; Thanksgiving Day should be the least busy.
AAA Forecast: Nearly 81.8 Million Americans to Travel for Thanksgiving — Another Record
AAA forecasts about 81.8 million Americans will travel 50+ miles for Thanksgiving, a 2% increase over last year. Most — 73.3 million — will drive, adding roughly 1.3 million more vehicles on the road; over 6 million are expected to fly. Other modes could rise to nearly 2.5 million. Gas averages about $3.07 and round-trip flights average roughly $700. Expect the worst road congestion Tuesday–Wednesday before the holiday; Thanksgiving Day should be the least busy.
02:20 AM, 11/18/2025Society
AAA predicts record Thanksgiving travel
An estimated 81.8 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles for Thanksgiving this year, according to AAA — a 2% increase from last year’s record of 80.2 million.
The vast majority — 73.3 million people, or about 90% — are expected to travel by car. That represents roughly 1.3 million more drivers on the road than last Thanksgiving. That total could rise further if some would-be air travelers choose to drive after recent flight disruptions tied to the U.S. government shutdown. The Federal Aviation Administration lifted its emergency flight restrictions on Monday morning, allowing commercial airlines to resume regular schedules.
More than 6 million Americans are projected to fly this holiday, marking a roughly 2% increase from 2024. Travel by other modes — including bus, train and boat — is forecast to increase 8.5% to nearly 2.5 million people. AAA notes buses and trains may see an uptick in last-minute bookings amid continued uncertainty around air travel.
Costs and timing
Costs for driving and flying are largely unchanged from Thanksgiving 2024. The national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline is currently about $3.07 (vs. $3.06 a year ago). A round-trip domestic flight is averaging roughly $700, similar to last year’s fares.
AAA expects the heaviest road congestion on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon before Thanksgiving Day. Travelers driving home on the Sunday after Thanksgiving should also plan for heavy traffic much of the day. By contrast, Thanksgiving Day itself is expected to have the lightest traffic and is the best time to be on the road.
Practical tips
- Leave early on peak days or travel on Thanksgiving Day to avoid the worst congestion.
- Check airline alerts and confirmations frequently; consider flexible plans if flying.
- Use apps to monitor gas prices and traffic to save time and money.