Thanksgiving Travel In CA: The Best And Worst Times To Drive, Fly

CALIFORNIA — Highways and airports across the state are expected to be bustling with record numbers of travelers over the Thanksgiving weekend, which is projected to be the busiest travel holiday of the year.

Some 80 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more from their homes over Thanksgiving weekend across the U.S., according to AAA.

This year, AAA expanded the Nov. 26 and Dec. 2 projected travel period by two days to better analyze traffic flow. Thanksgiving falls on Nov. 28 this year.

California is among the top travel destinations in the U.S. Statewide, the most popular destinations are Anaheim, Los Angeles and San Francisco, according to AAA.

“Thanksgiving is the busiest holiday for travel, and this year we’re expecting to set new records across the board, from driving to flying and cruising,” Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, said in a statement. “Americans reconnect with family and friends over Thanksgiving, and travel is a big part of that. AAA continues to see travel demand soar post-pandemic with our members looking for new adventures and memorable vacations.”

The Best Times To Drive

INRIX, which provides transportation insights to AAA, says the best day to get on the road is actually Thanksgiving Day when the highways are generally clear and most have already reached their destinations.

“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,” said Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX. “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.”

Here are the best travel times, according to AAA.

• Monday (Nov. 25) - Before 11 a.m.
• Tuesday (Nov. 26) - Before 10 a.m.
• Wednesday (Nov. 27) - Before 10 a.m.
• Thursday (Nov. 28) - Anytime
• Friday (Nov. 29) - After 1 p.m.
• Saturday (Nov. 30) - Before 1 p.m.
• Sunday (Dec. 1) - Before 1 p.m.
• Monday (Dec. 2) - Before 8 a.m./After 7 p.m.

The Worst Times To Drive

The worst days to travel by car this year in the U.S. are Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon, according to INRIX.

Here are the worst travel times, according to AAA

• Monday (Nov. 25) - 1 to 5 p.m.
• Tuesday (Nov. 26) - 1 to 7 p.m.
• Wednesday (Nov. 27) - 1 to 5 p.m.
• Thursday (Nov. 28) - Minimal traffic expected
• Friday (Nov. 29) - 7 to 10 a.m.
• Saturday (Nov. 30) - 4 to 8 p.m.
• Sunday (Dec. 1) - Noon to 6 p.m.
• Monday (Dec. 2) - 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Impacted Driving Routes In California

• California's Interstate 5 is expected to be among the most impacted highways in the state. Travel from Los Angeles to Bakersfield via I-5 North could up to 3 hours and 45 minutes — a 111% time increase. This route will be busiest at 7:45 p.m. on Wednesday.
• The route from Palm Springs to San Diego via Interstate 15 South is expected to take 2 and 53 minutes, a 38% increase from normal. The most impacted day will be at 4:45 p.m. on Saturday.
• From San Francisco to Sacramento via Interstate 80 East will take 3 hours and 2 minutes, up 88% from normal traffic flow. Its busiest day will be 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

In one positive development — U.S. gas prices are lower this Thanksgiving season compared to 2023. Last Thanksgiving Day, the national average was $3.26, compared to $3.05 on Monday. For California drivers, fuel prices are always going to be much higher than the national average but prices have still fallen since last year. As of Monday, the California average was $4.45, down from $4.90 this time last year.

Travelers shouldn't wait to rent a car if they need one. According to Hertz, Los Angeles are among the cities with the highest rental demand for the Thanksgiving holiday. The busiest car pick-up day is likely to be the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. The busiest rental return days will be the Monday and Tuesday after the holiday.

Air Travel Expected To Be Busier Than 2023

Those taking flights this holiday will also be in for a busy travel experience as Thanksgiving air travel is expected to set a new record.

AAA says 5.84 million people will fly domestically this holiday — an increase of 2% compared to last year and a nearly 11% increase over 2019.

Airfare prices are also up this year with passengers paying 3% more for domestic Thanksgiving flights this year, while the number of flight bookings is similar to last year. International flights are up 23% compared to last Thanksgiving. That's because the cost to fly internationally is down 5%, AAA said.

Trains, Buses And Other Modes

AAA expects 2.3 million people to travel by buses, cruises and trains. This category is seeing an increase of almost 9% compared to last year and an 18% jump over 2019. This is because the demand for cruises has soared post-pandemic, AAA said. Domestic and international cruise bookings are up 20% compared to the holiday season last year.