The two days before Thanksgiving, from around 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. local time, are expected to be the busiest times to travel this year, while Thanksgiving Day will see minimal traffic, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA).
The AAA projects that at least 73 million people will travel by car, which amounts to nearly 90 percent of Thanksgiving travelers and an additional 1.3 million people on the road compared to Thanksgiving last year. “That number could end up being higher if some air travelers decide to drive instead of fly following recent flight cancellations,” the automotive body said in statement Monday.
According to the AAA, 81.8 million people are expected to 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,” the AAA said.
Its forecast comes as the Federal Aviation Administration said it would end the mandated domestic flight cuts across 40 major airports in the United States at 6 a.m. ET on Monday.
The AAA’s projection is based on data analysis by INRIX using various vehicle-based and infrastructure-based input data, such as connected vehicle GPS data, mobile apps, and navigation services. The 2025 Thanksgiving holiday travel period is defined as the seven-day period from November 25 to December 1. “Historical results were calculated dating back to 2019 using the same seven-day period,” the AAA explained.
The analysis found that the afternoon and evening on Tuesday (12 p.m. to 9 p.m.) and Wednesday (11 a.m. to 8 p.m.) are projected to be the most congested periods before Thanksgiving Day, with “minimal traffic impact expected” for Thursday.
Those traveling back on Friday or Saturday will want to avoid the time window from around 1 p.m. to 7 or 8 p.m., which will be the worst time to travel, and opt to set out before either 10 or 11 a.m. instead, the AAA’s forecast suggests.
Travelers returning home on Sunday and Monday should expect heavy traffic from 11 or 12 a.m. to 8 p.m. The best time to travel on Sunday is before 11 a.m., while on Monday, it’s after 8 p.m., the AAA says.
“Drivers should hit the road in the morning to avoid the worst backups, but keep in mind construction, crashes, or severe weather could impact travel times,” the automotive body warns.
For those renting cars, Wednesday is expected to be the busiest pick-up day, according to AAA car rental partner Hertz. The top five markets with the highest demand are Orlando, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; Las Vegas, Nevada; Los Angeles, California, as well as Newark, New Jersey.
Worst and Best Times to Drive Over the Thanksgiving Holiday Period
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