by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 8:45 AM ET, Mon November 17, 2025
Around 81.8 million people are expected to travel at least fifty miles from their homes this Thanksgiving holiday, with domestic travel expected to break records, according to a new report by AAA.
“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 with friends.”
Thanksgiving Road Tripping
The single busiest holiday for travel this year, the Thanksgiving travel period, identified as November 25 through December 1, will see millions taking to the roads and the skies to visit loved ones, with at least 73 million driving.
Car rental companies are seeing high demand, especially for Wednesday, November 26: the biggest destinations for rental demand include Orlando, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Newark, with rentals pricing 15 percent less this year.
The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is around the same as last year.
Transportation data company INRIX expected Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon before Thanksgiving to be the worst themes to drive ahead of the holiday, with the Sunday after being the worst after the holiday.
For those wanting to avoid congested roadways, travelers heading out on Tuesday, November 25 should start driving before noon, when the worst traffic will begin. On Wednesday, November 26, road trippers should start early and try to be finished driving by 11:00 a.m., when the congestion will begin.
There will be minimal traffic on Thanksgiving Day, though Friday, November 28 is expected to be busy again: travelers are advised to drive in the morning before 11:00 a.m. The best travel times on Saturday, November 29 and Sunday, November 30 are before 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., respectively.
Thanksgiving Holiday Air Travel
About six million travelers are expected to fly domestically around the Thanksgiving holiday period, which is a 2 percent increase from 2024, though AAA predicts that number could actually be lower as travelers change their plans due to flight cancellations.
A roundtrip domestic flight is averaging out $700 for the busy Thanksgiving period, similar to last year. It’s the cheapest to fly on Thanksgiving Day.
Trains, Buses and Boats
Travel by other methods is expected to grow by 8.5 percent this year, to around 2.5 million people who choose to take a bus, a train or a cruise. Cruising is an attractive vacation option for travelers who won’t be celebrating the holiday in a traditional way, while trains and buses provide an alternative to air travel and driving.
The Top Thanksgiving Destinations
According to AAA booking data, the top domestic destinations this Thanksgiving include Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and Miami. These Florida cities take the top three spots, followed by Anaheim/Los Angeles, Tampa, New York City, San Francisco, Honolulu, Las Vegas and Atlanta.
For those heading abroad this holiday, the top destinations include Paris, Amsterdam, Vienna, Cancun, Punta Cana, Basel, Sydney, Barcelona, Budapest and Oranjestad.
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