Record number of Texans to travel for Thanksgiving, AAA says

A record number of Texans are expected to travel for Thanksgiving this year, AAA Texas projects.

AAA Texas said they expect 5.7 million Texans to travel at least 50 miles from home over the Thanksgiving travel period, which it defines as Nov. 26 through Dec. 2. 

A majority of those Texans – 5.3 million, to be exact – are projected to hit the roads. The remaining Texans will travel by air, cruise ship, bus or train.

This year’s travel forecast is a 1.3% increase over 2023’s record number of travelers and 2.4% higher than pre-pandemic travels.

Top destinations within the state include San Antonio, Austin and the Hill Country as well as the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and Houston. 

The top cruise destination for Texans is the Caribbean. The top domestic air destination is Orlando while the top international air destination is Rome, Italy.

Nationwide, AAA projects this Thanksgiving to be the busiest on record, with 79.86 million travelers expected. Last year, 78.1 million Americans traveled for Thanksgiving while 77.8 million traveled the year prior.

AAA’s tips for drivers

If you’re hitting the road, AAA recommends making sure your vehicle maintenance is up-to-date and tires and batteries are in good condition. AAA expects to respond to over 29,400 calls for help in Texas over the Thanksgiving travel period.

The busiest time to travel by car is on Tuesday, Nov. 27 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. AAA Texas expects a 38% increase in travel time compared to the typical traffic volume.

AAA said the worst traffic is expected during the afternoon and evening hours of Monday, Dec. 2 on I-45 between Galveston and Houston.

Air travelers should plan to arrive at the airport at least two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international flights, AAA suggests. Travelers who drive themselves to the airport should reserve a parking space if they can.