AAA projects 81.8 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home over the Thanksgiving holiday period from Nov. 25 to Dec. 1.

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 like Memorial Day and July 4.

“Many people look forward to the Thanksgiving holiday each year because it’s the perfect time to get together with family and friends,” said Theresa Podguski, director of legislative affairs, AAA East Central. “Thanksgiving is one of the busiest times to travel, and AAA has found the majority of people are willing to brave the crowds and make any necessary adjustments to their plans to make those lifelong memories.”

Of those traveling, AAA projects at least 73 million people will travel by car, that’s nearly 90 percent of Thanksgiving travelers. That figure could increase depending on flight cancellations and travelers opting for alternate modes of transportation.

This year, AAA projects an additional 1.3 million travelers on the road compared to last Thanksgiving but given recent flight reductions that number could be higher.

For travelers who are renting cars, AAA car rental partner Hertz says Wednesday is expected to be the busiest pickup day.

According to AAA booking data, domestic car rentals are 15% cheaper this Thanksgiving compared to last year.

At the pump, drivers are paying about the same as last year, when the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline was $3.06 on Thanksgiving Day.

AAA also recommends checking your battery and tire pressure.

For those traveling by air, 6 million U.S. travelers are expected to take domestic flights over the Thanksgiving holiday period, a 2% increase compared to 2024. Some of those travelers may switch their mode of transportation if flight disruptions remain a concern.

According to AAA data, which is based on what travelers paid when they booked their Thanksgiving trips, a round-trip domestic flight is averaging $700 which is similar to last year. It’s cheaper to fly on Thanksgiving Day itself, but the flight home is what drives up the ticket price since Sunday and Monday are the busiest return days. Some travelers shorten or extend their Thanksgiving trips to avoid flying on peak days.

Travel by other modes is expected to increase by 8.5% to nearly 2.5 million people. Those travelers are taking trips by bus, train, and cruise.

Buses and trains could see an uptick in last-minute bookings this year.

Cruising is building on its record post-pandemic growth. This year alone, AAA is projecting 20.7 million American cruise passengers. That number is even higher for 2026 with AAA forecasting 21.7 million U.S. travelers taking ocean cruises.

INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, expects Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon 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 mind construction, crashes, or severe weather could impact travel times.