Thanksgiving 2025 travel alert: Heavy traffic expected as millions hit the road and airports

Thanksgiving 2025 is set to see the biggest travel rush in 15 years, with over 81 million Americans on the move.

On November 27, Thanksgiving will herald the holiday season. However, this day is not all about celebrations and fun. A large number of Americans, around 81.8 million, will be travelling between November 25 and December 1, USA Today reported.

Thanksgiving 2025 traffic

Most of the travellers will be making their journey by road, but around six million will be using air travel to reach their destination, the same outlet reported, quoting travel company AAA.

“Thanksgiving travel numbers are always impressive because this holiday has become synonymous with heading out of town to spend time with loved ones,” AAA’s vice president, Stacey Barber, said. “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.”

According to the forecast of AAA, 1.3 million more people, compared to last year, will hit the road this year for Thanksgiving, BBC reports.

For rental car providers, Wednesday is likely to be the busiest day of the year. On top of that, car rentals this year are expected to be around 15 percent cheaper, further encouraging drivers to undertake the journey to their relatives and friends.

The price of fuel is almost the same as last year, so there isn’t going to be much relief there. Last year, AAA responded to around 600,000 calls for assistance after travellers got stranded due to issues like battery exhaustion, flat tires, and running out of fuel. The agency is advising car owners to make sure that their vehicles are well-equipped to undertake a long journey.

Thanksgiving air travel

The good news for those making the journey to their loved ones via air, is that ticket prices this year are not any higher, possibly even lower, as per USA Today.

Due to the government shutdown that was in effect till recently, there was a significant drop in air travel as flights were cancelled due to a shortage of staff. With the shutdown now lifted, air travel is expected to rise back once again and reach its pre-shutdown levels, NPR reports. So, while 73.2 million people are expected to hit the road, six million are estimated to take to the air to visit their loved ones.

In fact, as per NPR, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) expects the amount of travel for this year’s Thanksgiving to be the greatest in 15 years.

Best time to drive

If you are planning to hit the road, do make sure to choose the right time to embark on the journey. NPR’s report says that afternoons on Tuesday and Wednesday will witness the highest amount of traffic, as per INRIX, a transportation analytics firm. So, try and avoid hitting the road at that time.

The best time for beginning your journey would be before noon on Tuesday and around 11 AM on Wednesday. If you are travelling on Thanksgiving, then there is no great reason to worry, as traffic is expected to be light on that day.

During the return trip, too, drivers are advised to commence their journey before noon on all days except Monday. On the Sunday following Thanksgiving, it is better not to travel at all in daytime. Beginning your journey after 8 PM is the best option for that day, NPR reports.