Thanksgiving is always a busy time for travel, but this year will see even more Americans flying and driving than ever before. AAA predicts that a record-breaking 79.9 million people will travel more than 50 miles from home this Thanksgiving. That’s 1.7 million more travelers than in 2023 and 2 million more than in 2019.
That number includes 71.74 million travelers by car and 5.84 million travelers by air between Tuesday, November 26, and Monday, December 2, nationwide.
This is the first year AAA has included the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and the Monday after Thanksgiving in its annual traffic prediction report, “to better capture the flow of holiday travelers.”
“Americans reconnect with family and friends over Thanksgiving, and travel is a big part of that,” said Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel. “AAA continues to see travel demand soar post-pandemic with our members looking for new adventures and memorable vacations.”
Good News for Dulles Travelers
In the air, AAA predicts that there will be 2 percent more people flying this Thanksgiving compared to 2023, and 11 percent more compared to 2019.
On the bright side, Dulles gained some positive recognition as the No. 1 best airport in the country for holiday travel based on its rate of on-time departures in 2023, according to an analysis by travel platform, Locals Insider. Last holiday season, 88.6 percent of IAD’s scheduled flights left on time.
Reagan National followed at No. 5, with 85.7 percent of scheduled flights leaving on time. Baltimore–Washington International ranked as the seventh worst in the nation, with a 22.4 percent rate of delays and cancellations.
No matter where you’re flying, plan to arrive at the airport earlier than usual.
Air travelers may see longer lines at the Transportation Security Administration and limited parking options at area airports due to more travelers. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority recommends arriving two hours before domestic flights depart and three hours before international flights leave.
You can reserve parking ahead of time at Reagan or Dulles, get a ride, or take Metro to reduce parking time. To keep security lines quick, look ahead at what you can and cannot bring through a TSA checkpoint.
When to Hit the Road
Drivers will see increased traffic on the roads this week, especially during peak holiday travel times.
The worst times to travel by car this Thanksgiving are Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons, while Thanksgiving Day itself will have the least traffic impact, according to insights from INRIX. The worst time to travel will be between 1 and 7 p.m. on Tuesday, while the worst times on Wednesday will be between 1 and 5 p.m. The best time to travel on either day will be before 10 a.m.
In the Washington, DC, metro area, AAA anticipated that the worst time to travel by car will be around 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, which will see a 120 percent increase to usual traffic time.
On the Friday after Thanksgiving, it’s best to wait until after 1 p.m. to drive, as 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. will see increased traffic. But leave early (before 1 p.m.) if you plan to drive on Saturday or Sunday.
Feature image, stock.adobe.com
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