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Thanksgiving is expected to be a busy time to drive. These are the best and worst times

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Thanksgiving is expected to be a busy time to drive. These are the best and worst times

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Roadways, airways, railways, waterways – they’re all going to be packed.

The amount of people traveling on Thanksgiving this year will exceed that of last year, with 79.9 million travelers expected to travel 50 miles or more from home for the holiday, according to AAA Northeast. It’s an increase of 1.7 million people compared to last year.

“Thanksgiving is the busiest holiday for travel, and AAA continues to see demand soar post-pandemic as Americans reconnect with family and friends and seek memorable trips to new destinations,” Mark Schieldrop, senior spokesperson for AAA Northeast stated in a release.

Here’s what to expect if you’re traveling.

What are the best, worst times to drive regarding Thanksgiving?

AAA Northeast stated that “the worst times to travel by car over Thanksgiving are Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon (before the holiday), according to INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights.

The best time for driving on that Tuesday and that Wednesday is early morning, with minimal traffic expected on Thanksgiving Day.

AAA added that “drivers returning home on Sunday should leave early in the morning, and those coming back on Monday should expect a mix of travelers and work commuters on the road.”

How many people are expected to travel by car?

AAA projects a record 71.7 million people will travel by car for Thanksgiving, which represents an additional 1.3 million travelers on the road compared to last year.

“This year’s number also surpasses pre-pandemic numbers in 2019, when 70.6 million people drove to their Thanksgiving destinations,” AAA Northeast stated.

The increase is most likely because drivers are benefiting from lower gas prices this Thanksgiving season, AAA Northeast noted, adding, “The average gas price in Massachusetts is down over 40 cents from this time last year.”

How many people are expected to fly?

AAA stated that air travel for the holiday is also expected to set a record.

“AAA projects 5.84 million people will fly domestically this holiday, an increase of 2% compared to last year and a nearly 11% increase over 2019,” a release from AAA stated. “Air travelers are paying 3% more for domestic Thanksgiving flights this year, while the number of flight bookings is similar to last year, according to AAA booking data. International flight bookings are up 23% compared to last Thanksgiving, in part because the cost to fly internationally is down 5%.”

What about other means of travel?

AAA stated that nearly 2.3 million people are expected to travel by other modes of transportation, including buses, cruises and trains. This category is seeing an increase of almost 9% compared to last year and an 18% jump over 2019, due in large part due to the popularity of cruising.

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