Almost 80 million expected to travel over Thanksgiving in record-breaking getaway

Almost 80 million people will hit the roads and airways this Thanksgiving, with traveler numbers surpassing pre-pandemic levels, the AAA predicts.

Journeys of 50 miles or more will be made by 79.9 million people in the holiday period — an increase of 1.7 million from last year and 2 million more than in 2019.

For the first time, the AAA’s annual prediction includes the Tuesday before and Monday after Thanksgiving to better reflect people’s traveling habits.

“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,” Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel said in a statement.

The majority of trips, 71.7 million, will be by car, meaning 1.3 million more travelers will be on the road compared to last year. Gas prices are lower than the $3.26 per gallon national average during the holiday last year.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, AAA cites data from transport analysts at INRIX, showing that Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon will be the busiest times on the roads — but Thanksgiving day itself is “typically clear.”

Bob Pishue, a transportation analyst at INRIX, said drivers should pay close attention to traffic apps and local news alerts.

“This is especially important for drivers in metropolitan areas like Boston, New York, LA, Seattle, and Washington, DC, where traffic is expected to be more than double what it typically is on a normal day,” he said.

Hertz, the car rental company, said Atlanta, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Oahu, Orlando, and Phoenix were among the cities showing the highest demand.

A record 5.84 million plan to fly, a 9% increase from 2019, with international flight bookings up 23%, the AAA said.

And other forms of transportation — including bus, cruise and train — are on the rise too, up 9% on last year and 18% compared to 2019.

The most popular domestic location for travelers is Orlando, with three other Florida cities in the top 10 as Americans seek warmer climes.

Much of the continental United States is facing rain and snow in the week before Thanksgiving, with more than 25 million people covered by weather warnings and watches.