Thanksgiving 2025 Will Set Record for Holiday Travel
Nearly 82 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home during Thanksgiving week from Tuesday through Monday, AAA estimates. This year’s domestic travel forecast includes an additional 1.6 million travelers compared to last Thanksgiving, setting a new overall record. Thanksgiving is the single-busiest holiday for travel compared to others such as Memorial Day and July 4.
The numbers are encouraging, coming with a Gallup poll that finds worry over the economy has dropped by 50% since 2022.
“Thanksgiving travel numbers are always impressive, because this holiday has become synonymous with heading out of town to spend time with loved ones,” said Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel. “People are willing to brave the crowds and make last-minute adjustments to their plans to make lifelong memories, whether it’s visiting extended family or meeting up.”
AAA projects that at least 73 million people will travel by car, which is nearly 90 percent of total Thanksgiving travelers and an additional 1.3 million people on the road compared to last Thanksgiving. This number could end up higher if some air travelers decide to drive instead of fly following recent flight cancellations.
For travelers renting cars, Hertz said Wednesday is expected to be the busiest pick-up day. The five markets with the highest demand are Orlando, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Newark. According to AAA booking data, domestic car rentals are 15 percent less expensive this Thanksgiving compared to last year. Airports, which account for a significant number of rentals, say airlines are adding stops to avoid travel issues.
Drivers in Missouri and Kansas are paying a little less this year than las on Thanksgiving Day. Most stations have fuel at around $2.80 per gallon for unleaded.
INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, expects Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons to be the most congested periods before Thanksgiving Day. Travelers returning home on Sunday should expect heavy traffic most of the day. Drivers should hit the road in the morning to avoid the worst backups, but keep in that mind construction, crashes or severe weather could affect travel times.
Travelers are also in a better mood than last the previous four years. Polls indicate that negative media attention on inflation and the economy doesn’t match what most people are feeling. A Gallup poll finds that just 24% of American mention the economy as a top concern, compared to 50% three years ago, and 90% under the Obama administration.
Alan Goforth
