Thanksgiving 2023: Here are the busiest times to drive, fly for the holiday weekend
If you are one of the more than 55 million travelers heading out of town for Thanksgiving, you might want to prepare for crowded roads and airports.
AAA is forecasting 2023 to be the third highest-traveled Thanksgiving since 2000.
AAA projects 55.4 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home over the Thanksgiving holiday travel period.
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Driving is expected to be the most common method of travel as AAA projects 49.1 million Americans will travel, which is 1.7% compared to last year.
“For many Americans, Thanksgiving and travel go hand in hand, and this holiday, we expect more people on the roads, skies, and seas compared to 2022,” said Paula Twidale, Senior Vice President of AAA Travel.
“Travel demand has been strong all year, and AAA’s Thanksgiving forecast reflects that continued desire to get away and spend time with loved ones,” she added.
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In comparison, 4.7 million people will fly over the Thanksgiving holiday, according to AAA.
How much of the traffic will be Georgians traveling? AAA projects more than 1.5 million Georgians will hit the road with an additional 115,000 Georgia residents are expected to take to the skies.
That number will be a small part of the total number of passengers that arrive, depart, and pass through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The airport says they estimate more than 3,000,000 people will spend some time in one of their terminals during the Thanksgiving travel season.
According to AAA, Tuesday and Wednesday are considered the most expensive days to fly. While Sunday is typically the busiest day to return home, AAA data shows Monday is also a popular day to fly back after Thanksgiving.
The busiest time for drivers will be from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday. On Thanksgiving Day, the busiest drive time is between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.
On Friday, the busiest time is listed as 12 to 4 p.m. On both days of Thanksgiving weekend, the busiest travel time is between 3 and 5 p.m.
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