by Donald Wood
Last updated: 7:00 AM ET, Tue November 19, 2024
Over 79 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles for
the Thanksgiving
Holiday Travel Period, and AAA Travel unveiled the top international and domestic
destinations for 2024, as well as the best and worst times to drive.
For people staying in the United States for the holiday, warm-weather
destinations are the most popular, with Orlando, Miami and Fort Lauderdale
topping the list, respectively. The rest of the Top 10 includes New York City, Los
Angeles, Tampa, Honolulu, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Atlanta.
International travelers escaping for Thanksgiving are
heading to Budapest, Mexicali, San Juan, Cancun, Punta Cana, Rome, Amsterdam,
Paris, Barcelona, and Munich, in that order.
As for car rentals, Hertz revealed that Atlanta, Las Vegas,
Los Angeles, Miami, Oahu, Orlando, and Phoenix are the cities displaying the
highest demand for the Thanksgiving holiday. The busiest car pick-up day is
expected to be the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and the busiest rental return
days will be the Monday and Tuesday after the holiday.
“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,” INRIX transportation analyst Bob Pishue said.
“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,” Pishue
continued.
Thanksgiving travelers staying in the U.S. should be aware
of the best and worst times to drive this holiday season. INRIX said the worst
times to travel by car over Thanksgiving are Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon.
The best time is Thanksgiving Day itself, when interstates and highways are
typically clear.
Drivers returning home on the Sunday after the holiday should
leave early in the morning, and those coming back on Monday should expect a mix
of travelers and work commuters on the road.
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