Best Thanksgiving Holiday Destinations & Best Times To Travel

As Thanksgiving gets closer, more than 79 million Americans are planning to travel at least 50 miles for the holiday. Roads will be hectically busy, so AAA Travel has revealed the best international and local destinations for Thanksgiving 2024. Moreover, they have revealed the best and worst times to drive during the holiday.

Best destinations for Thanksgiving 2024

According to AAA Travel, more than 79 million Americans are planning to drive at least 50 miles for the Thanksgiving holiday. The organization has revealed the top international and domestic destinations for the holiday, along with the best and worst times to travel by car.

Americans planning a domestic Thanksgiving vacation, AAA Travel reveals that warm weather locations are among the most popular, with Fort Lauderdale, Miami and Orlando topping the list. Other destinations in the top 10 include New York City, Los Angeles, Tampa, Honolulu, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Atlanta.

Meanwhile, travelers heading aboard for Thanksgiving are picking Budapest, Mexicali, San Juan, Cancun, Punta Cana, Rome, Amsterdam, Paris, Barcelona, and Munich, in that order.

Car rentals for the holiday

When it comes to car rentals, Hertz has revealed that Atlanta, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Oahu, Orlando, and Phoenix have the highest demand for the Thanksgiving holiday. Meanwhile, the busiest car collection day is likely to be the Wednesday before the holiday, while the busiest rental return days are the Monday and Tuesday following the holiday.

INRIX transportation analyst Bob Pishue said:

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.

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.

Best and worst times to travel over the Thanksgiving holiday

Those traveling domestically for Thanksgiving should be aware of the best and worst times to drive this year. According to INRIX, the worst times to drive for Thanksgiving are Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon. Meanwhile, the best time is Thanksgiving Day itself, when highways and interstates are normally quiet.

When returning home from the Thanksgiving holiday on Sunday should leave early in the morning. Meanwhile, those returning home on Monday can expect a mix of travelers and normal work commuters on the roads.

Traveling by air for the holiday

According to AAA, Thanksgiving air travel is also set to break a new record with some 5.84 million people flying domestically this year. Reportedly, this is an increase of 2 percent compared to 2023 and almost 11 percent over 2019.

Moreover, AAA’s booking data reveals that air travelers are paying 3 percent more for domestic flights this Thanksgiving, while the number of flights booked is similar to 2023. International Thanksgiving flight bookings are up by 23 percent to last year, partly because costs for international flights are down by 5 percent.

Have a relaxing Thanksgiving holiday, ensuring you avoid the crowds on the highway.