AAA said a record 82 million Americans are projected to hit the roads, skies or rails this Thanksgiving, which is the single busiest holiday for travelers.
Now that the Federal Aviation Administration has lifted all restrictions on commercial flights imposed at 40 airports during the government shutdown, a record number of Thanksgiving travelers will have some clarity.
AAA said a record 82 million Americans are projected to hit the roads, skies or rails this Thanksgiving, which is the single busiest holiday for travelers.
Nearly 90% of Thanksgiving travelers — at least 73 million — will do it by car, according to AAA. The number could end up being higher if some air travelers decide to drive instead of fly, following the recent flight cancellations and uncertainty.
With the lifting of all air traffic restrictions, AAA projects 6 million U.S. travelers are expected to take domestic flights over the Thanksgiving holiday period, a 2% increase over 2024.
According to AAA data, the average cost of a roundtrip domestic flight is $700, which is about same as last year.
For air travelers renting cars at their destination, AAA said domestic car rentals are 15% cheaper than last Thanksgiving season.
Thanksgiving travelers who are driving will pay about the same at the pump as last year, when the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline was $3.06 on Thanksgiving Day.
If you’ll be traveling by car, AAA said the best time to hit the highways during the long holiday is in the morning.
The worst days for car travel will be Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons, as well as the Sunday after Thanksgiving.
The absolute worst in the D.C. region, according to AAA, citing transportation data and insights provider INRIX: Traveling on Tuesday, at 4:30 in the afternoon, between D.C. and Baltimore on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway could take 1 hour and 50 minutes, two-and-a-half times as long as it usually takes.
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