TheAmericanAutomobileAssociationprojectedthat79.9milliontravelerswillheadtodestinationsatleast50milesfromtheirhomesovertheThanksgivingholidaytravelperiod,whichofficiallyrunsfromNov.26toDec.2,2024.
Thatwouldbeanincreaseof1.7millionpeoplefrom2023,and2millionmorethanin2019(lookingtopre-pandemicfigures,inlightoftheglobalevent'simpactontravel).
AAAprojectedthat71.7millionAmericanswilltravelbycaroverThanksgiving,anincreaseof1.3millioncomparedtolastyear.
However,driverscanexpecttoseelowergaspricesthisyearcomparedtolastyear,accordingtoAAA.Lastyear’snationalaveragewas$3.26pergallon.WithpricesdecreasingthisFall,AAApredictsthenationalaveragecoulddropbelow$3pergallonforthefirsttimesince2021,evenbeforeThanksgivingtravelbegins.
Nearly2.3millionpeoplewillalsotravelbybus,cruise,ortrainthisThanksgiving,accordingtoAAA,whichanincreaseofalmost9%fromlastyearand18%comparedto2019.Thisgrowthislargelydrivenbytherisingpopularityofcruisesinthepost-pandemicera,AAAexplained.
Whenitcomestothefriendlyskies,AAAsaysthattravelersarepaying3%morefordomesticflightsthisThanksgiving.Internationalflightbookingshavesurgedby23%,partlyduetoa5%decreaseininternationalairfare,accordingtoAAA.
TheTop10Thanksgivingtraveldestinationsof2024shareacommontheme:warmweather.AAAdatashowsthattheTop3domesticdestinationsarecitiesinFlorida,whileothertopdestinationsincludeNewYork,California,HawaiiandLasVegas.
Internationally,EuropeandtheCaribbeandominatethelist,drivenbyinterestinbeachresorts,touristattractionsandrivercruises,accordingtoAAA.