About 1.7 million more Americans are expected to travel this Thanksgiving season than last year, setting a new record.
“Thanksgiving is the busiest holiday for travel, and this year we’re expecting to set new records across the board, from driving to flying and cruising,” stated Stacey Barber, Vice President of AAA Travel. “Americans reconnect with family and friends over Thanksgiving, and travel is a big part of that. AAA continues to see travel demand soar post-pandemic with our members looking for new adventures and memorable vacations.”
AAA projected that 79.9 million travelers would venture 50 miles or more from home during the Thanksgiving holiday period, which they defined as including the Tuesday before Thanksgiving through the Monday afterward.
The majority of holiday travelers this year plan to reach their destination by automobile. A projected 71.7 million will be on the roads during the travel period, a 1.3 million increase from last year.
Falling gasoline prices due to lower oil prices may be one factor prompting more Americans to hit the road this year.
The current national average, as of Monday, is $3.071 per gallon. By next week, the average price nationwide for a gallon of gasoline is expected to drop below $3 for the first time since 2021. In Texas, the average price of gasoline is currently even lower, at $2.653 per gallon, per AAA.
For those renting a car, the busiest pickup day will be the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and the busiest return day will be the Monday and Tuesday following the holiday.
Another 5.84 million people will fly domestically during the holiday period, up 2% from last year and 11% from 2019, per AAA. During the same holiday period, international flight bookings increased by 23% compared to last year, while the cost of international flights decreased by 5%.
In addition, nearly 2.3 million people will travel by other means during the holiday, such as by bus, train, or cruise ship. Cruises, in particular, have rebounded in popularity following the COVID-19 pandemic and are up this year by 20% compared to last year.
About 5.7 million Texans will be among the nearly 80 million travelers this year, with the majority—5.3 million—traveling by automobile. This year’s top Texas destinations for holiday travelers include San Antonio, Austin, the Hill Country, the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, and Houston.