America's Thanksgiving Traffic Catastrophe Is Set to Shatter Records Once More | Carscoops

      73 million Americans are anticipated to use their cars, so be prepared for heavy traffic.

      14 hours ago

      by Michael Gauthier

      This year, 82 million Americans are expected to travel during the busy Thanksgiving holiday.

      Approximately 73 million will be driving, representing a 1.8 percent increase from the previous year.

      Gasoline prices are expected to remain about the same as they were in 2024.

      Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and a record 81.8 million individuals are predicted to travel at least 50 miles (80 km) from their residences. This is an increase of 1.6 million compared to last year, and AAA has indicated that Thanksgiving is the busiest travel holiday in the United States.

      Almost 90 percent of these travelers will be on the road, leading to congested highways with around 73 million drivers.

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      This anticipated figure is approximately 1.3 million more than last year's count, but the actual number could be even higher as some air travelers may have been deterred by recent flight delays and cancellations resulting from the government shutdown.

      While the Federal Aviation Administration recently lifted flight restrictions at 40 major airports, chaos ensued earlier this month due to a record high of 81 "staffing triggers" on November 8. This led to numerous flight delays and cancellations, although conditions have improved since the shutdown concluded.

      Highways Fill as Flights Stumble

      As noted by the FAA, there were just six staffing triggers on November 14, eight on the 15th, and one on the 16th. Nevertheless, air travel remains far from stress-free. On November 19, at least 2,211 delays and 50 cancellations were reported, according to FlightAware.

      Unfortunately for drivers, there won't be any relief at the gas station. The national average for a gallon of gasoline is $3.09, slightly higher than last year's Thanksgiving Day price of $3.06.

      Traffic is expected to be heaviest on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons, as well as throughout Sunday. On a positive note, Thanksgiving Day itself is expected to see only a "minimal traffic impact."

      What’s Happening in the Skies?

      Returning to air travel, 6.07 million people are expected to fly during the Thanksgiving holiday, an increase from the 5.94 million who flew last year. However, due to the recent flight disruptions, the actual number could be less than anticipated.

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      The average cost of a roundtrip flight this year is around $700, similar to 2024. While individual departure times vary, the busiest return days are projected to be Sunday and Monday.

      The top domestic travel destinations are all located in Florida: Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami, followed by Los Angeles/Anaheim and Tampa.