Thanksgiving Travel 2024: A Return to Tradition Amid Record Numbers

The United States is preparing for what promises to be one of the busiest Thanksgiving travel seasons in recent memory. With 81.8 million Americans planning journeys of at least 50 miles from home, this holiday period marks a significant return to pre-pandemic travel patterns. The vast majority—approximately 73 million travelers—will be taking to the highways rather than the skies, continuing America’s longstanding tradition of the holiday road trip. AAA has noted this figure could grow even larger if last-minute flight cancellations push more travelers toward driving options. The organization’s car rental partner, Hertz, anticipates Wednesday to be their peak day for vehicle pickups, with Orlando, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Newark experiencing the highest demand. In a bit of welcome news for budget-conscious travelers, domestic car rentals are running about 15% cheaper compared to Thanksgiving 2023, providing some financial relief during an otherwise expensive holiday season.

Adding to the financial bright spots this Thanksgiving, GasBuddy has projected a national average fuel price of $3.02 per gallon, matching last year’s figure. This marks the lowest Thanksgiving gas prices since before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted travel patterns and economic norms. By comparison, the national average reached $3.39 per gallon in 2021 and climbed further to $3.56 in 2022 as post-pandemic inflation took hold. These relatively moderate fuel costs may be contributing to the surge in road travel, as families find driving to be the most economical option for bringing everyone home for the holiday meal. However, with this increased road traffic comes important safety considerations. Both AAA and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) are emphasizing the critical importance of sober driving during the holiday season, reminding travelers to arrange for designated drivers, utilize rideshare services, or take public transit if celebrations include alcohol consumption.

The skies will be equally busy, with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reporting over 360,000 flights scheduled during the Thanksgiving travel period. This represents the busiest aerial travel season in 15 years, with November 25th standing out as the peak travel day featuring more than 52,000 scheduled flights. Despite these record numbers, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford has expressed confidence in the agency’s preparedness, noting that solid staffing levels are in place to manage the increased traffic volume. “Thanks to the dedication of our air traffic controllers and every FAA employee, we are ready for the holiday rush and take pride in helping travelers reach their friends and families during this important time of year,” Bedford stated, acknowledging the crucial role his team plays in reuniting loved ones during the holiday season.

Looking at the day-by-day flight schedule, Thanksgiving Day itself will offer a relative respite with just over 25,600 flights planned—less than half the volume of the peak travel days. This brief lull will be short-lived, however, as Sunday’s return travel surge approaches with 51,268 flights scheduled, nearly matching the pre-holiday peak. This pattern reflects the traditional American Thanksgiving weekend, with families gathering for Thursday’s feast before dispersing back to their respective homes before the new work week begins. The concentrated nature of these travel waves creates particular challenges for transportation infrastructure and highlights why preparation by both travelers and transportation authorities becomes so essential during this period.

To address the sometimes stressful nature of holiday travel, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has launched the “Golden Age of Travel” campaign, aimed at fostering greater civility among travelers. The initiative encourages Americans to approach their journeys with kindness and consideration for fellow travelers, and even suggests dressing respectfully when flying—a nod to the more formal air travel culture of decades past. “There’s no question we’ve lost sight of what makes travel fun—the excitement, the relaxation, the cordial conversations,” reads the Department of Transportation’s statement. “Americans already feel divided and stressed. We can all do our part to bring back civility, manners, and common sense.” This appeal to travelers’ better nature comes at a time when incidents of disruptive behavior on flights and in airports have garnered increasing attention.

As millions of Americans embark on their Thanksgiving journeys, this massive movement of people represents more than just statistics about flights and fuel prices—it embodies the enduring importance of togetherness in American culture. Despite technological advances that make virtual connections easier than ever, the pull to physically gather around the family table remains powerful. The collective national effort to navigate highways, airport security lines, and train stations speaks to the value Americans place on maintaining family bonds and traditions, even when doing so requires considerable effort and expense. Whether driving across state lines or flying across the country, these journeys home for Thanksgiving reflect a shared cultural commitment to gratitude, family, and the connections that sustain us through challenging times. As travelers pack their bags and check their routes, they participate in a national ritual that transcends the logistics of transportation and touches the heart of what many consider most meaningful about the American experience.