AAA: Thanksgiving Travel Expected To Get Close To Pre-Pandemic Levels

An estimated 54.3 million people will travel for the Thanksgiving weekend.

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(Undated) - Holiday travel is expected to be closer to normal on Thanksgiving weekend.

AAA predicts 53.4 million people will travel for the Thanksgiving holiday, up 13 percent from 2020 and within five percent of pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

“This Thanksgiving, travel will look a lot different than last year,” said Paula Twidale, senior vice president, AAA Travel. “Now that the borders are open and new health and safety guidelines are in place, travel is once again high on the list for Americans who are ready to reunite with their loved ones for the holiday.”

Despite gas costing over a dollar more per gallon than this time last year, 90 percent of people plan to travel by vehicle as their preferred mode of travel.

AAA estimates 48.3 million Americans will take to the roadways for Thanksgiving weekend, with the expectation of responding to over 400,000 roadside issues.

Motorists are encouraged to get an inspection to check key components like the battery, fuel system, tires, brakes, and fluid levels before traveling.

Air travel is expected to increase drastically this year. AAA estimates 4.2 million will take flights this Thanksgiving, up 80 percent from last year.

AAA finds that the average lowest airfare is 27.3 percent less than last year at $132.

For more information, visit AAA Thanksgiving Travel Predictions | AAA Newsroom.