Travel over Thanksgiving Weekend looks to be 3rd highest since 2000

AAA projects 55.4 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from home over the Thanksgiving holiday travel period. This year’s Thanksgiving travel forecast is an increase of 2.3% over last year and marks the third-highest Thanksgiving travel forecast since AAA began tracking holiday travel in 2000. The top two years were 2005 and 2019.

Most Thanksgiving travelers will drive to their destinations with AAA projecting 49.1 million Americans will get behind the wheel, an increase of 1.7% compared to 2022. Drivers will be paying less for gas than last Thanksgiving when the national average was $3.58. Gas in the Fond du Lac area heading into the holiday weekend is at $2.99 at many stations with a downward trend.

AAA expects 4.7 million people will fly over Thanksgiving, an increase of 6.6% compared to 2022 and the highest number of Thanksgiving air travelers since 2005. Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving are the busiest air travel days ahead of the holiday and the most expensive. While Sunday is typically the busiest day to return home, AAA data shows Monday is also a popular day to fly back after Thanksgiving.

The number of people traveling by cruise, bus, and train over Thanksgiving is up nearly 11% over last year. AAA expects 1.5 million travelers will head out of town using these other modes of transportation saying Thanksgiving cruises are mostly sold out, with many travelers looking to spend the holiday at sea.”