Thanksgiving Travel Time Now Extends Beyond the Weekend

Welcome to Thanksgiving week! With more people working from home now, the busiest travel days for Thanksgiving are spreading out more than before.

Before, most people would travel on the Wednesday right before Thanksgiving, because they had to be in the office at the start of the week. But now, thanks to the option to work remotely, those busy travel days are getting stretched. 

This year, a record-breaking number of about 79.9 million travelers are expected to journey more than 50 miles from home from today until next Monday, according to AAA.

About 6 million of these travelers will fly domestically, which is a 2% increase from last year and an 11% jump from 2019, even though plane tickets have gotten more expensive over the past year. 

Those flying might face some challenges, including winter storms in the northeast and California and strikes by service workers at the Charlotte airport, a major hub for American Airlines, which could lead to delays.

For those hitting the road, the busiest times are expected to be Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Over 71.7 million people are planning to drive to their holiday destinations, surpassing the 70 million who did so in 2019. This bump in road travelers could be due to lower gas prices.

So, if you're planning to take some time off for a longer trip or working from home to avoid the peak travel times, get ready for a bit of a hectic holiday commute this year.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving!

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