Thanksgiving Travel Forecast: Best, Worst Travel Times In VA

Thanksgiving is often named the busiest travel day of the year in Virginia and the rest of the U.S., and this year is no exception.

AAA is projecting 2.08 million Virginia residents will travel over the extended Thanksgiving weekend, representing a 1.1 percent jump from last year. A majority — 1.9 million Virginians — will travel by car. Another 133,503 Virginians could take flights and 41,163 will use other means like buses, trains and cruises. The Thanksgiving travel period is defined as Tuesday, Nov. 25 to Monday, Dec. 1.

Nationwide, AAA expects 81.8 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles for the holiday, including 73 million people on the roads, 6.07 million on flights and 2.48 million by other means. Last Thanksgiving, AAA counted 80.22 million travelers during the holiday period.

"Economic uncertainty has been a prevailing issue during 2025," says Morgan Dean, AAA Mid-Atlantic manager for public and government affairs in Virginia. "But Americans have continued to prioritize travel especially for a holiday that is rooted in spending time with friends and family."

Transportation analyst INRIX expects the most traffic congestion to happen on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons as travelers head to their Thanksgiving destinations. Travelers returning home will encounter heavy traffic most of Sunday. Experts recommend traveling in the morning to avoid the worst congestion, but crashes, severe weather and construction could still come into play.

Here are INRIX predictions for the best and worst travel times:

• Tuesday, Nov 25: Worst from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m., best before 12 p.m.
• Wednesday, Nov. 26: Worst from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., best before 11 a.m.
• Thursday, Nov. 27: Minimal traffic impacts expected
• Friday, Nov. 28: Worst from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., best before 11 a.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 29: Worst from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., best before 10 a.m.
• Sunday, Nov. 30: Worst from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., best before 11 a.m.

The Virginia Department of Transportation will lift most highway work zones and lifting temporary lane closures on Virginia interstates and other major roads from noon on Wednesday, Nov. 26 to noon on Monday, Dec. 1. Semi-permanent work zones may remain.

VDOT's travel trends map for the Thanksgiving Day holiday period shows times when peak congestion occurred on interstates during past years. The agency says it cannot predict exactly when congestion will occur this year, but drivers can use the map to see trends from past years.

In Northern Virginia, the I-395 and I-95 Express Lanes will follow a reversal schedule for the Thanksgiving period. Tolls are charged for vehicles traveling in Express Lanes unless they have three or more people in the car and an E-ZPass Flex set to "HOV ON."

The latest extension on the I-495 Express Lanes will open on Nov. 22 ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. The new extension runs 2.5 miles from the Dulles Toll Road to George Washington Memorial Parkway.

Real-time traffic information is available in Virginia by calling 511, using the free mobile 511 app or visiting 511.vdot.virginia.gov.

For those flying to their Thanksgiving destinations, air travelers should experience less frustrations after the Federal Aviation Administration’s lifted commercial flight restrictions when the government shutdown ended. However, the Thanksgiving holiday period remains one of the busier times at airports.

AAA said the average round-trip domestic flight price of $700 is similar to last Thanksgiving. Experts say it is cheaper to fly on Thanksgiving, and the busy Sunday and Monday return days can drive up prices.

Cruises are another travel method seeing record post-pandemic growth. AAA is projecting 20.7 million cruise passengers in the U.S in 2025 and about 1 million more in 2026. The association noted Thanksgiving cruise vacations are especially popular to Caribbean destinations.