Millions of Americans are preparing to embark on their journey home for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, whether it's by plane, train or automobile.
AAA projects a record 79.9 million people will travel more than 50 miles during the Thanksgiving holiday period, which it defines as the seven-day period between Nov. 26 and Dec. 2.
The vast majority of this travel will come via automobiles, as AAA projects 71.7 million people will travel by car, an increase of 1.3 million people year over year and a new record. Car rental company Hertz reports that Atlanta, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Oahu, Orlando and Phoenix are the cities with the highest car rental demand ahead of the holiday.
Air travel ranks second in method of travel at 5.8 million people, a 2% year-over-year increase and a record amount for Thanksgiving travel. AAA data shows that air travelers are paying 3% more for domestic tickets compared to last year. International flight bookings are up 23% year over year in part because costs are down 5%.
About 2.3 million people will travel via another mode of transportation, including buses, cruises and trains. A 20% year-over-year increase in domestic and international cruise demand has boosted this category's overall figures by 9% year over year and 18% compared to 2019 levels.
“Thanksgiving is the busiest holiday for travel, and this year we’re expecting to set new records across the board, from driving to flying and cruising,” said Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel. “