Best and worst times to fly, drive for Thanksgiving travel 2024

On By Littum

game

  • A record number of Americans are expected to travel for Thanksgiving this year, leading to increased traffic and crowded airports.
  • The busiest travel day is expected to be the Sunday after Thanksgiving, while Thanksgiving Day itself will see the least traffic.
  • Experts recommend traveling outside peak hours, such as early mornings or late evenings, to avoid the worst traffic jams.

Another record number of Americans are planning to travel for Thanksgiving this year, so be prepared for extra busy roads and airports.

Nearly 80 million Americans are expected to travel this year — 1.7 million more than last year and two million more than 2019, according to AAA.

“Thanksgiving is the busiest holiday for travel, and this year we expect to set new records across the board, from driving to flying and cruising,” Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, said in a statement. “Americans reconnect with family and friends over Thanksgiving, and travel is a big part of that. AAA continues to see travel demand soar post-pandemic with our members looking for new adventures and memorable vacations.”

Here’s everything you need to know about Thanksgiving travel this year.

How to deal with a flight disruption: How to get help from airlines, travel insurance if your flight was canceled or delayed

The best and worst days to fly for Thanksgiving

Air travelers should prepare for long lines at US airports as the number of airline seats scheduled for the Thanksgiving travel period this year is up 4.8% over last, according to Hopper’s 2024 Thanksgiving Outlook and Busiest Airports.

The busiest day for flights will be Sunday, December 1, while the least busy day will be Thanksgiving Day, November 28; Black Friday, November 29; and Tuesday 3 December

For Thanksgiving week, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Denver International Airport are expected to be the busiest airports, especially in the morning between 8 and noon, according to Hopper.

Best and worst times to drive to the airport for Thanksgiving

If you’re picking up or dropping off a loved one at the airport this Thanksgiving, you may run into some traffic. US airports will be busiest between 10.00 and noon on Saturday and the least busy Sundays at 7.00 and 22.00 according to data from Google Maps.

What are the worst times to drive for Thanksgiving?

The roads are likely to be the most congested in the days just before Thanksgiving, including Tuesday, November 26 between 13.00 and 19.00 and Wednesday 27 November between 1pm and 5pm, according to INRIX.

Travelers returning home will hit the worst traffic on Sunday 1 December between midday and 6pm. Those traveling on Monday between

What are the best times to drive for Thanksgiving?

The roads on Thanksgiving Day itself will be the emptiest during the holiday period, INRIX found.

However, if you are traveling in the days before Thanksgiving, try to leave as early as possible. The least traffic is expected to be before 11 a.m. Monday, November 25; 10 a.m. Tuesday, November 26; and at 10 a.m. on Wednesday 27 Nov.

After Thanksgiving, the best driving times will be early morning or late evening. Travelers should aim to hit the road after 1pm Friday 29 November; before 1 pm on Saturday 30 November and Sunday 1 December and before 8 am or after 7 pm on Monday 2 December.

Worst travel times in major US cities

“With record numbers of travelers expected to be on the road, drivers should follow traffic apps and local news alerts to avoid major delays,” Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX, said in a statement.

“This is especially important for drivers in metropolitan areas like Boston, New York, LA, Seattle and Washington, DC, where traffic is expected to be more than double what it typically is on a normal day,” Pishue added.

Atlanta

Worst Route: Birmingham to Atlanta via I-20 E

Worst day: Sunday

Worst time: 16:45

Estimated travel time: 3 hours, 17 minutes

Increased travel time: 38%

Boston

Worst Route: Boston to Portsmouth via I-95 N

Worst day: Tuesday

Worst time: 15:45

Estimated travel time: 2 hours, 35 minutes

Increased travel time: 117%

Chicago

Worst Route: Indianapolis to Chicago via I-65 N

Worst day: Sunday

Worst time: 15:45

Estimated travel time: 4 hours, 11 minutes

Increased travel time: 45%

Los Angeles

Worst Route: Los Angeles to Bakersfield via I-5 N

Worst day: Wednesday

Worst time: 19:45

Estimated travel time: 3 hours, 49 minutes

Increased travel time: 111%

New York

Worst Route: New York to Hamptons via Long Island Expressway E

Worst day: Tuesday

Worst time: 16:30

Estimated travel time: 3 hours, 27 minutes

Increased travel time: 133%

San Francisco

Worst Route: San Francisco to Sacramento via I-80 E

Worst day: Tuesday

Worst time: 19:30

Estimated travel time: 3 hours, 2 minutes

Increased travel time: 88%

Seattle

Worst Route: Seattle to Ellensburg via I-90 W

Worst day: Tuesday

Worst time: 19.00

Estimated travel time: 3 hours, 31 minutes

Increased travel time: 119%

Washington, DC

Worst Route: Washington, DC to Annapolis

Worst day: Tuesday

Worst time: 10:30

Estimated travel time: 1 hour

Increased travel time: 120%

Atlanta

Worst route:

Worst day:

Worst time:

Estimated travel time: 4 hours, 2 minutes.

Increased travel time: