Here are the best and worst times for holiday travel

Millions of people are expected to leave home and travel during the holidays, likely resulting in crowded airports and a surge in traffic on the highways. 

Since this is the last thing travelers want to have to worry about, one thing that may curtail this outcome is leaving during off-peak days of travel to avoid disruptions to your holiday downtime.

Thanksgiving best and worst times to travel 

If you are planning a trip during the Thanksgiving break, when you leave can make a substantial difference to whether you make it to your destination on time. 

The busiest day for air travel will be Sunday, Dec. 1, while the least busy days will be Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28; Black Friday, Nov. 29; and Tuesday, Dec. 3.

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According to INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, the company notes that the worst times to drive during Thanksgiving are Tuesday, Nov. 26 and Wednesday, Nov. 27 in the afternoon. 

But the best time to get on the road is Thanksgiving Day because interstates and highways are usually clear. Drivers returning home on Sunday, Dec. 1 should leave early in the morning, and travelers heading back on Monday, Dec. 3 should expect a mix of travelers and work commuters on the road. 

What’s the travel outlook for the Thanksgiving holidays?

AAA projects that nearly 80 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home during the Thanksgiving holidays, representing an increase of 1.7 million people compared to last year and 2 million more than in 2019. 

Thanksgiving air travel is expected to set a record with AAA projecting almost 6 million people flying domestically during the Thanksgiving holiday, an increase of 2% compared to 2023 and a nearly 11% increase over 2019. 

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The agency also projects that a record 71.7 million people will travel by car over Thanksgiving – that’s an additional 1.3 million travelers on the road compared to last year. This year’s number also surpasses pre-pandemic numbers when 70.6 million people drove to their Thanksgiving destinations in 2019. 

Christmas best and worst times to travel 

Travelers planning a vacation during Christmas should leave the week before the holiday. The best times to fly are Tuesday, Dec. 17, Wednesday, Dec. 18, or Thursday, Dec. 19. 

Since Christmas is on a Wednesday this year, more people are likely to fly home the day after the holiday. 

According to the Vacationer, an online travel journal, there is the option to fly on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day because flight tickets are cheaper and the airport isn’t crowded with travelers scrambling to get to their destinations.

Thursday, December 26 and Friday, December 27 are considered popular travel days, and traveling home on Saturday, Dec. 28 or Monday, Dec. 30 are also ideal, but Sunday, Dec. 29 is projected to be a busy travel day, per the Vacationer. 

The four days before Christmas Eve, Dec. 20, Dec. 21, Dec. 22, and Dec. 23, are going to be busy travel days, according to the Vacationer. 

It is also a good idea to avoid traveling on the days after Christmas (Thursday, Dec. 26 and Friday, Dec. 27) for a return flight home. 

Travelers are eager to return home after Christmas and Sunday, December 29 is projected to be a busy travel day.

How many people are planning to travel during the holidays this year?

Deloitte released a survey revealing that 49% of people plan to travel during the 2024 holiday season. Respondents in the survey shared that they also intend to take more than two trips this year, with 33% saying they are planning vacations of a week or longer.

The survey noted that travelers expect to spend an average of $3,294 for their longest holiday trip, and their seasonal travel budget is 4% higher than in 2023. Travel is expected to be higher among younger and higher-income travelers. Two-thirds of higher-income Americans plan to travel with millennials expected to spend an average of $3,927 on holiday travel this year.