Busiest Thanksgiving travel period forecast for next week

AAA is forecasting record travel volumes in Virginia, Tennessee and nationwide, according to information released this week.

AAA is projecting more than 2 million Virginians will travel over the Thanksgiving holiday, up slightly from last year and from 2019 and pre-COVID travel levels.

For the first time, AAA is defining the Thanksgiving holiday travel as the seven-day period from Tuesday, Nov. 26 to Monday, Dec. 2, to better capture the flow of holiday travelers, according to a written statement.

Nearly 92% of Virginians who will be traveling, or nearly 1.9 million, will be hitting the road for their holiday destination. That’s up more than a percentage point from last year and slightly higher than the number traveling by car in 2019.

AAA projects more than 1.9 million Tennesseans will hit the roads over Thanksgiving — that’s over 27,000 more travelers than the record set last year.

Nationwide, nearly 80 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home this Thanksgiving. That’s 2.1% higher than 2023 and 2.7% higher than the pre-pandemic travel volume of 2019, according to AAA.

More than 71 million are expected to travel by car, up nearly 2% from last year and 1.6% above 2019, while air travel is expected to be up 2% from last year and up 10.7% from 2019, with 5.84 million Americans flying to their Thanksgiving destinations this year.

“Thanksgiving is the busiest holiday for travel, and this year we’re expecting to set new records across the board, from driving to flying and cruising,” said Stacey Barber, Vice President of AAA Travel. “Americans reconnect with family and friends over Thanksgiving, and travel is a big part of that. AAA continues to see travel demand soar post-pandemic with our members looking for new adventures and memorable vacations.”

The TSA reports ten of the busiest days in over 20 years of screening history happened in 2024.

AAA projects that more than 132,000 Virginians will jet off to holiday destinations this year. That’s about 1,000 more air travelers than at Thanksgiving last year and nearly 6% higher than the pre-pandemic days of 2019.

The worst times to travel by car will be Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons. The best time is Thanksgiving Day itself when interstates and highways are typically less crowded, according to INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights.

Drivers returning home on Sunday should leave early in the morning, and those coming back on Monday can expect to encounter a mix of travelers and work commuters.

Unfortunately, AAA estimates that it expects to serve about 560,000 stranded drivers across the country during the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday weekend, including more than 10,000 in Virginia.

Drivers are reminded to always slow down and move over for police and other emergency first responders, AAA Roadside Assistance vehicles and tow trucks.

Virginia’s ‘Move Over’ law changed last year. It now requires drivers to move over for any stationary vehicle displaying hazard lights, flares or emergency signs.

“Drivers should limit distractions and be on the lookout for stopped vehicles along the side of the road. Slowing down and moving over helps create safe space for those on the roadside,” said Morgan Dean, AAA Mid-Atlantic spokesperson.

AAA urges all drivers to:

• Buckle Up, everyone, every time
• Obey the speed limits
• Be courteous, use turn signals, allow space when passing and to stay right when not passing
• Avoid and limit distractions
• Never Drive impaired

Last Thanksgiving, half of Virginia’s 11 traffic fatalities involved someone not wearing a seatbelt, according to the Virginia State Police.

“Buckling up takes minimal time and is one of the biggest things you can do to ensure that you arrive at your holiday destination safely,” said Lt. Col. Matt Hanley, Interim Superintendent of Virginia State Police. “We are asking you this holiday season to wear a seat belt, to slow down and drive within the speed limit, to drive sober, and drive distraction free. Help us make this a safe holiday.”

The department’s Thanksgiving efforts coincide with the annual “Click It or Ticket” campaign and Mother’s Against Drunk Driving (MADD) winter holidays DUI-prevention campaign.

Virginia State Police will be, once again, participating in Operation C.A.R.E. – Crash Awareness and Reduction Effort. State Troopers will be increasing their presence on Virginia’s roads during the five-day holiday statistical counting period which starts at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 27, and runs through 11:59 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 1.

In 2023, the Thanksgiving Holiday CARE initiative led to state troopers citing 4,520 drivers for speeding and 1,840 for reckless driving. State troopers also arrested 89 drivers for driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs and wrote 427 citations for not wearing a seat belt.