The 2024 holiday travel season is poised to break records, with millions of Americans set to embark on journeys by road, air and alternative transportation.
Thanksgiving Travel Insights
AAA estimates that 79.9 million travelers will be on the move this Thanksgiving—a 2% increase over last year and 2 million more than in 2019. This surge highlights a continued rebound in holiday travel demand.
Drivers are seeing some relief at the pump, with gas prices lower than last Thanksgiving. The national average was $3.26 per gallon in 2023, but this year, falling oil prices could push it below $3 for the first time since 2021.
Car rentals remain in high demand, particularly in cities like Atlanta, Miami and Las Vegas. Rental pick-ups are expected to peak the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, while the Monday and Tuesday after the holiday will see the highest volume of returns.
Air travel is also setting new benchmarks, with 5.84 million passengers flying domestically—up 11% from 2019. While domestic airfare is up by 3%, international bookings have surged 23%, fueled by a 5% drop in ticket prices. Other modes of travel, including buses, trains and cruises, are experiencing a 9% rise, with cruise bookings seeing an impressive 20% boost.
Airport and Airspace Readiness
The TSA is gearing up for its busiest Thanksgiving ever, with 18.3 million passengers expected to pass through security between Nov. 26 and Dec. 2—a 17% increase over 2022. Daily screenings could surpass 3 million on peak days like Nov. 26, Nov. 27 and Dec. 1. TSA officials are working to maintain wait times of 10 minutes or less for TSA PreCheck and under 30 minutes for standard lanes.
The FAA is also addressing air traffic controller shortages by implementing traffic flow management strategies to mitigate delays during peak travel days.
“During the Thanksgiving travel period we will use traffic flow management initiatives to deal with any staffing shortages on that particular day in this airspace, and we expect to have some of those shortages,” FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker said.
Christmas and New Year’s Travel Projections
Looking ahead, Expedia predicts the busiest Christmas travel days will be Dec. 20-22 and Dec. 26, while New Year’s travelers will face heavy volumes on Dec. 26, 27, 30 and Jan. 2. Avoiding these dates may help ease holiday travel woes.
Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg highlighted enhanced passenger protections, including guaranteed refunds for WiFi, seat selection and in-flight entertainment if not provided as promised.
On the Roads
Drivers in metro areas like Boston, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., should expect significant traffic congestion, especially on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons leading up to Thanksgiving. While Thanksgiving Day itself offers lighter traffic, the Sunday and Monday return trips are projected to bring long delays.
