These Will Be the Busiest Days for Thanksgiving Traffic, According to AAA

A record-setting nearly 80 million Americans are set to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday this year, packing roads across the country. But while traffic may be unavoidable, leaving on certain days is worse than others. 

In total, 79.9 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from home for the Turkey Day holiday between Tuesday, Nov. 26, and Monday, Dec. 2, according to AAA. Of those, a record 71.7 million will travel by car, or 1.3 million more drivers than last year.

The busiest times to travel will be on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon, while travelers hoping to avoid the worst crowds should consider leaving on Thanksgiving Day itself. Travelers should also consider the forecast since wet and snowy weather leading up to the holiday could complicate matters.

“With a record number of travelers expected to be on the road, drivers should follow traffic apps and local news alerts to avoid major delays,” Bob Pishue, a transportation analyst at INRIX, which provides transportation data and insights to AAA, said in a statement. “This is especially important for drivers in metropolitan areas like Boston, New York, LA, Seattle, and Washington, DC, where traffic is expected to be more than double what it typically is on a normal day.” 

For travelers who must drive on peak days, they should consider leaving in the mornings on the days leading up to Thanksgiving, consider leaving after 1 p.m. on Black Friday, think about leaving before 1 p.m. on the Saturday or Sunday after the holiday, and consider leaving either before 8 a.m. or after 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 2, to avoid as much traffic as possible.

Getting a head start on holiday traffic may sound appealing, but hitting the roads too early can be costly as well since traveling on the Friday before Thanksgiving is often when traffic is busiest, especially from 1 to 2 p.m., according to data from Google shared with Travel + Leisure. Travelers who have to stop for gas should also try to avoid heading to the pump around 4 to 5 p.m. on Fridays when it is often the most crowded and instead drive over around 7 to 8 a.m. on Sundays.

Amanda Leicht Moore, the director of product at Google Maps, told T+L she hopes the tips “help bring a bit of calm during what can be a hectic season” and allow travelers to “enjoy more time with loved ones.”