If you’re planning to head home for the holidays, it might be best to leave earlier than usual this year.
Almost 82 million Americans will be traveling over the Thanksgiving weekend, defined as Tuesday, Nov. 25 to Monday, Dec. 1, according to new projections from AAA.
Eclipsing even pre-pandemic travel numbers, the projected 81.8 million travelers sets a new overall record, according to AAA.
“Thanksgiving travel numbers are always impressive because this holiday has become synonymous with heading out of town to spend time with loved ones,” said Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel.
It is predicted that 90% of travelers — around 73 million people — will take advantage of stable gas prices and drive this Thanksgiving, jamming the roads worse than years prior.
AAA and INRIX, a global transportation analytics company, forecasted travel times in congested cities that represent a major increase compared to typical traffic.
For New York City, one of the worst trips will be heading to the Hamptons via the Long Island Expressway, AAA predicted.
With peak congestion coming around 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, the trip is projected to take over four hours, representing a 163% increase over typical travel times, according to AAA.
If you’re looking to avoid traffic, the best times to drive during the holiday weekend are before 11 a.m or after 8 p.m., according to the AAA report.
In spite of recent air travel issues, around 6 million people are expected to fly home for the holidays. Another 2.8 million are projected to take other travel methods, like buses and trains.
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