This Thanksgiving will see millions travel over the holiday weekend.

AAA and IHS Markit forecast 54.6 million travelers during the five-day 2022 Thanksgiving holiday period (Nov 23 – Nov 27). The 2022 total will be an increase of 1.5%, or an additional 800,000 travelers, over 2021.  

The 2022 total will be nearly 98% of the 2019 volume and will be 7.5 million more (+16%) than during the pandemic in 2020.  

The numbers for New York are even stronger. AAA and IHS Markit forecast 3,598,428 total travelers for the Empire State. By comparison, that's nearly 60,000 more travelers in the state than last year. The estimated figure would also surpass the pre-pandemic total of 3,579,453 from 2019.

Air travel and automobile travel estimates are up - but the biggest jump, matching the national trend, will come from other forms of travel including buses, trains, and cruises. Nationwide that figure is expected to rise 23 percent this Thanksgiving. In New York the increase is expected to be 18 percent.

Nationwide, this Thanksgiving is projected to be the third busiest since AAA started tracking holiday travel in 2000. For New York, if the forecast holds true, it will set a new record for Thanksgiving travelers since the onset of tracking in 2000.

There are several factors that are contributing to the robust forecast. Americans are eager to travel again and spend time with family and friends, in some cases to reunite with loved ones they haven’t seen in a while. With travel restrictions lifted, more people are planning getaways this Thanksgiving.

High gas prices have never stopped Americans from traveling for a vacation. And this is true for Thanksgiving, a family-oriented holiday. Travelers will budget for gas prices and perhaps cut back on other spending, like dining out. Travel demand is so high right now that despite gas prices being higher than they were this time last year, drivers who are looking to get away this Thanksgiving will do so.

Regardless of how you choose to travel this Thanksgiving, pack your patience and leave extra time to reach your destination for a safe and memorable holiday.

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AAA Travel