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Millions of people are expected to leave home and travel during the holidays, likely resulting in crowded airports and an increase in highway traffic.

Since this is the last thing travelers want to have to worry about, one thing that can limit this outcome is leaving during off-peak days to avoid disruption to your vacation break.

Thanksgiving Best and Worst Times to Travel

If you’re planning a trip over the Thanksgiving break, when you travel can make a big difference in whether you get to your destination on time.

The busiest day for air travel will be Sunday, December 1, while the least busy days will be Thanksgiving Day, November 28; Black Friday, November 29; and Tuesday, Dec. 3.

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According to INRIXa provider of transportation data and insights, the company notes that the worst times to drive during Thanksgiving are Tuesday, Nov. 26 and Wednesday, Nov. 27 in the afternoon.

But the best time to hit the road is Thanksgiving Day because interstates and highways are usually free. Drivers returning home on Sunday, December 1 should leave early in the morning, and travelers returning on Monday, December 3 should expect a mix of travelers and commuters on the road.

What’s the travel outlook for the Thanksgiving weekend?

AAA project that nearly 80 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home during the Thanksgiving weekend, an increase of 1.7 million people over last year and 2 million more than in 2019.

Thanksgiving flights are expected to set records with AAA showing nearly 6 million people flying domestically over the Thanksgiving weekend, up 2% from 2023 and up nearly 11% from 2019.

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The agency also expects a record 71.7 million people to travel by car during Thanksgiving — that’s an additional 1.3 million travelers on the road compared to last year. This year’s number also surpasses the pre-pandemic when 70.6 million people drove to their Thanksgiving destinations in 2019.

Christmas’s best and worst times to travel

Travelers planning a holiday over Christmas should leave the week before the holiday. The best times to fly are Tuesday 17 December, Wednesday 18 December or Thursday 19 December.

As Christmas is on a Wednesday this year, it is likely that more will fly home the day after the holiday.

According to the vacationeran online travel diary, there is the option of flying on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day because plane tickets are cheaper and the airport is not full of travelers trying to get to their destinations.

Thursday, December 26 and Friday, December 27 count as popular travel days and traveling home on Saturday, December 28 or Monday, December 30 are also ideal, but Sunday, December 29 is expected to be a busy travel day, per the vacationer.

The four days before Christmas Eve, Dec. 20, Dec. 21, Dec. 22 and Dec. 23, will be busy travel days, according to Vacationer.

It is also a good idea to avoid traveling on the days after Christmas (Thursday 26 December and Friday 27 December) for a return flight home.

Travelers are eager to return home after Christmas and Sunday 29 December is expected to be a busy travel day.

How many people plan to travel during the holidays this year?

Deloitte released a survey revealing that 49% of people plan to travel during the holiday season in 2024. Survey respondents shared that they also intend to take more than two trips this year, with 33% saying they plan vacations of one week or longer.

The survey noted that travelers expect to spend averaged $3,294 for their longest vacation trip, and their seasonal travel budget is 4% higher than in 2023. Travel is expected to be higher among younger and higher-income travelers. Two-thirds of higher-income Americans plan to travel with millennials expected to spend an average of $3,927 on vacation travel this year.