Thanksgiving Pilgrimage: Holiday Travel To Beat Record

Thanksgiving holiday travel is expected to reach a new record in 2025, as 81.8 million Americans are forecast to hit the road or the skies to travel more than 50 miles for this year’s celebrations.

As Statista’s Felix Richter details below, according to projections from AAA, 73.3 million Americans will take to the nation’s roads, while 6.1 million will fly domestically and 2.5 million will travel by train or other means to be with family or friends for the holidays.

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That represents an increase of 2 percent from last year and 5.2 percent from 2019.

“Thanksgiving travel numbers are always impressive because this holiday has become synonymous with heading out of town to spend time with loved ones,” said Stacey Barber, Vice President of AAA Travel.

“People are willing to brave the crowds and make last-minute adjustments to their plans to make lifelong memories, whether it’s visiting extended family or meeting up with friends.”

All modes of transport are set to see a noticeable increase this year and road trips will continue to dominate Thanksgiving travel. Nearly 90 percent of travelers are expected to drive to their holiday destination, with gas prices remaining about the same as last year.