Travel This Thanksgiving Could Reach Record Levels

If you’re planning to travel this Thanksgiving, plan on long lines and traffic jams.

The season is poised to set travel records, according to estimates from the Transportation Security Administration and the American Automobile Association.

AAA projects that just shy of 80 million people will travel more than 50 miles for the holiday from Tuesday through Dec. 2, the Monday following the holiday weekend. That would be more total travelers by automobile, air, and other modes than last year in the same time period, and more than the pre-pandemic levels of travel seen in 2019.

TSA, meanwhile, said this week that it expects at least 18.3 million people will be screened at TSA checkpoints at airports across the country. TSA said Dec. 1, the Sunday after the holiday, is likely to break the record of more than 3 million people screened on July 7, the Sunday following Independence Day.

Gas Prices Lower, Air Travel More Expensive Than Last Year

Lower gas prices could offer some relief to those looking to drive.

The record Thanksgiving travel prediction comes as the price of gas has fallen over the last year, with the AAA national average around $3.06 a gallon as of Friday. A year ago on the same date, which was the day before Thanksgiving, the average price for regular gas was more than 20 cents a gallon higher at $3.28.

At the end of last month, average flight prices for travel around Thanksgiving were around $273, according to the travel website Hopper, ahead of a roughly 50% increase in price expected closer to the holiday. The average air fare at the end of October was about 9% above the same time last year, but below both 2022 and pre-pandemic levels.

Airlines and industry groups have said that travel demand has remained strong this year despite inflation affecting other areas of discretionary spending, as U.S. consumers have prioritized spending on essentials while proving willing to splurge on experiences like travel.