Due to numerous recent flight cancellations, more Americans than ever are expected to drive to their Thanksgiving destinations this year. Analysts project that 81.8 million people will travel at least 50 miles, making it the single busiest travel day of the year.

Experts project 1.6 million more people to travel in 2025 than did so in 2024. This increase will result in a new overall record, according to 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.”

Of those 81.8 million Thanksgiving travelers, 73 million are expected to be driving. That means around 1.3 million more people will be on the road this year than last. AAA says that number could actually be higher if more air travelers decide to drive instead of flying.

On the plus side, for those flying, domestic car rentals are 15% cheaper this Thanksgiving than they were last year. Meanwhile, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is about the same as it was last year at this time.

Busiest places and best times to travel over Thanksgiving

“Filling the tank is a good idea the night before a road trip since it’s one less thing to do on travel day. AAA also recommends checking your battery and tire pressure. Last Thanksgiving holiday period, AAA responded to nearly 600,000 emergency roadside assistance calls to help stranded drivers with issues like dead batteries, flat tires, and empty fuel tanks.”

Just be aware that the number of roadside service events around Thanksgiving is significantly higher than the average for the rest of the year.

The top Thanksgiving destinations based on AAA booking data are Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Los Angeles, Tampa, New York, San Francisco, Honolulu, Las Vegas, and Atlanta. According to another study, the cities most likely to see a spike in traffic congestion during Thanksgiving week include Phoenix, Jacksonville, Columbus, Indianapolis, and Oklahoma City.

Traffic experts expect Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons to be the most congested. Sunday will also see the roads being more congested than usual. The best times to travel during Thanksgiving week, according to AAA, are in the morning. Other times recommended for travel are in the evening (7 to 10 p.m.) and late at night (10 p.m. to 1 a.m.).