AAA: More Than 54 Million Americans to Travel this Thanksgiving, the Most Since 2005

Inrix Predicts Seattle Area Travel Times To Be Two Times Longer During The Holiday Week

BELLEVUE, Wash. — AAA projects 54.3 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more away from home this Thanksgiving, a 4.8 percent increase compared to last year. The 2018 holiday weekend will see the highest Thanksgiving travel volume in more than a dozen years (since 2005), with 2.5 million more people taking to the nation’s roads, skies, rails and waterways compared with last year. For the 48.5 million Americans planning a Thanksgiving road trip, INRIX, a global mobility analytics company, predicts travel times in the most congested cities in the U.S. could be as much as four times longer than a normal trip.

“Consumers have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season: higher wages, more disposable income and rising levels of household wealth,” said Jennifer Cook, Senior Manager of Corporate Communications. “This is translating into more travelers kicking off the holiday season with a Thanksgiving getaway, building on a positive year for the travel industry.”

The Thanksgiving holiday period is defined as Wednesday, November 21 to Sunday, November 25.

By the Numbers: 2018 Thanksgiving Holiday Travel Forecast

• Automobiles: The vast majority of travelers – 48.5 million – will hit the road this Thanksgiving, nearly 5 percent more than last year.
• Planes: The largest growth in holiday travel is by air, increasing by 5.4 percent, with 4.27 million travelers.
• Trains, Buses and Cruise Ships: Travel across these sectors will increase by 1.4 percent, with a total 1.48 million passengers.

Drivers Beware: Thanksgiving’s Terrible Traffic

Based on historical and recent travel trends, INRIX, in collaboration with AAA, predicts drivers will experience the greatest amount of congestion Thanksgiving week during the early evening commute period, with travel times starting to increase on Monday. Drivers in San Francisco, New York City and Boston will see the largest delays – nearly quadruple normal drive times.

In most cases, the best days to travel will be on Thanksgiving Day, Friday or Saturday. Drivers should expect increased travel times on Sunday as most holiday travelers will be making their way home after the long weekend. In Seattle, travel times are predicted to double on Tuesday from 4-6 p.m., making that the worst time to leave for your holiday.

Worst Times to Hit the Road in America’s Largest Cities

Metro Area	Worst Day for Travel	Worst Time for Travel	Worst Hotspot	Delay Multiplier
Houston	Monday	2:00 – 4:00 PM	TX-8 Beltway E, TX249 to I69	2.75
Boston	Tuesday	4:00 – 6:00 PM	I-495 S, exit 41 to 33	3.5x
Seattle	Tuesday	4:00 – 6:00 PM	I-5 S, exit 178 to 149	2x
Atlanta	Tuesday	5:00 – 7:00 PM	I-75 N, exit 216 to 227	2.75x
Washington, D.C.	Tuesday	5:00 – 7:00 PM	Capital Beltway Clockwise	2.5x
Detroit	Tuesday	5:30 – 7:30 PM	US-23 N, exit 35 to 49	2.5x
New York	Tuesday	6:00 – 8:00 PM	I-95 W, exit 7 to Hamilton Bridge	3.5x
San Francisco	Wednesday	1:00 – 3:00 PM	I-680 N, exit 8 to 21	4x
Chicago	Wednesday	2:30 – 4:30 PM	I-94 W, exit 40A to 1	2x
Los Angeles	Wednesday	2:30 – 4:30 PM	I-5 S, exit 79 to 54B	2x

Peak travel times to get to SeaTac Intn’l Airport will be Wednesday from 8-10 p.m. Across the country, travelers who take to the sky must account for long security lines, but also increased drive times to the airport. INRIX expects delays getting to the nation’s busiest airports could be as long as an hour and a half.

Worst Travel Times to America’s Busiest Airports

Metro Area	Airport Route	Worst Time for Travel	Travel Time at Peak
Dallas	Downtown to DFW via TX-183 W	Monday, 5:00 – 7:00 PM	30 min
San Francisco	Downtown to SFO via US-101 S	Monday, 5:00 – 7:00 PM	24 min
Denver	Downtown to DIA via I-70 E and Pena Blvd	Monday, 5:30 – 7:30 PM	55 min
New York	Downtown to JFK via Long IslandExpressway East	Tuesday, 5:30 – 7:30 PM	1 hr 19 min
Los Angeles	Downtown to LAX via I-110 S	Tuesday, 7:00 – 9:00 PM	58 min
Atlanta	Downtown to ALT via I-75 S	Tuesday, 7:00 – 9:00 PM	34 min
Charlotte	Downtown to CLT via US-74 W	Tuesday, 8:00 – 10:00 PM	21 min
Las Vegas	Downtown to LAS via I-15 S	Wednesday, 8:00 – 9:00 AM	27 min
Chicago	Downtown to ORD via Kennedy Expressway West	Wednesday, 1:30 – 3:30 PM	1 hr 37 min
Seattle	Downtown to SEA via I-5 S	Wednesday, 8:00 – 10:00 PM	41 min

Higher Gas Prices Not Keeping Holiday Travelers Home

Motorists can expect to pay the highest Thanksgiving gas prices in four years, with a national average of $2.79 as of November 1, 31-cents more than a year ago. In Washington state, the average price just hit $3.50 per gallon on Tuesday, up more than 50 cents compared to last year. In Idaho, the state average is $3.11 per gallon, up 45 cents. Around the Northwest, the state average is $3.33 in Oregon, $2.97 in Montana, and $3.75 in California. For daily local gas prices go to gasprices.aaa.com or use AAA’s App.

Best Times to Fly and Book Thanksgiving Flights

An analysis of AAA’s flight booking data from the last three years revealed that the Tuesday and Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving are usually the most popular air travel days and have the highest average price per roundtrip ticket. Meanwhile, Thanksgiving Day consistently has the lowest average price per ticket and is the lightest travel day. Travelers looking to save money this holiday season can fly the morning of the holiday and arrive just in time for Thanksgiving dinner.

Day	3-Year Average Ticket Price	Expected Crowds
Monday (November 19, 2018)	$465	Moderate
Tuesday (November 20, 2018)	$509	Heavy
Wednesday (November 21, 2018)	$507	Heavy
Thursday (November 22, 2018)	$446	Light

Most travelers booked their flights for Thanksgiving between September 23 and October 25, paying an average ticket price of $478 roundtrip. Procrastinating travelers who still need to book their flights may find cheaper airfares, paying an average ticket price of $459 between now and November 15. However, last-minute flight availability will likely be very limited.

Car Rental Costs Fall, Hotel Prices Mixed

Travelers can expect to save on car rentals this Thanksgiving holiday season. At $63, the average daily rate is 10 percent less than last year, according to AAA’s Leisure Travel Index. Travelers can also save on AAA Three Diamond hotels, with an average nightly rate of $166, a decline of six percent compared to last year. Conversely, the average rate for AAA Two Diamond hotels has increased six percent with an average nightly cost of $124.

Top 10 Thanksgiving Destinations

Orlando, New York City and Anaheim top this year’s top 10 holiday destinations based on AAA’s online and travel agency air and tour bookings. Punta Cana, Dallas/Fort Worth and Miami are all gaining popularity as holiday spots compared with last year.

1. Orlando, Florida
2. New York, New York
3. Anaheim, California
4. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
5. Las Vegas, Nevada
6. Cancun, Mexico
7. Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas
8. Honolulu, Hawaii
9. Washington, DC
10. Miami, Florida

AAA to Rescue More Than 6,000 Motorists Locally

AAA expects to help nearly 360,000 motorists at the roadside this Thanksgiving, with more than 6,000 of those rescues happening in Washington and northern Idaho. Dead batteries, lockouts and flat tires will be the leading reasons AAA members will experience car trouble. AAA recommends motorists take their vehicle to a trusted repair facility to perform any needed maintenance before heading out. Oil changes, fluid level checks, battery tests and tire inspections go a long way toward reducing the chances of a breakdown.

About INRIX:

INRIX is the global leader in connected car services and transportation analytics. Leveraging big data and the cloud, INRIX delivers comprehensive services and solutions to help move people, cities and businesses forward. Our partners are automakers, governments, mobile operators, developers, advertisers, as well as enterprises large and small. Learn more at INRIX.com.