BOISE – This year, a record number of travelers will leave town for turkey and all the trimmings. According to AAA, nearly 80 million Americans, including 464,000 Idahoans, will celebrate the holiday 50 miles or more from home.
“Plan on an additional 1.7 million people in planes, trains, and automobiles this year. Flexible work schedules have stretched out holiday travel, especially at Thanksgiving,” says AAA Idaho public affairs director Matthew Conde. “No matter how you go, you will have plenty of company.”
The Thanksgiving travel period runs from Tuesday, November 26 through Monday, December 2. This year’s AAA forecast adds two days – the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, and the Monday after – to more accurately reflect holiday travel activity.
Best and worst times to travel
| Worst traffic | Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon |
| Best traffic | Early mornings, Thanksgiving Day |
| Worst times to fly | Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday (all day) |
| Best times to fly | Thanksgiving Day, Sunday morning |
Top ten domestic travel destinations for Idahoans
- Anaheim, CA
- Las Vegas, NV
- Salt Lake City, UT
- Seattle, WA
- Honolulu, HI
- Phoenix, AZ
- San Diego, CA
- Bend, OR
- Ft. Lauderdale, FL
- Jackson, WY
Thanksgiving travel modes
- By car: 71.7 million people (NEW RECORD) will road trip to their destination – nearly 90% of all travelers and a 2% jump in vehicle traffic from a year ago
- By plane: About 5.8 million people (NEW RECORD) will fly – 7.3% of all travelers and a 2% bump in flights from last year
- By cruise ship, bus, or train: 2.3 million passengers (NEW RECORD) will climb aboard – nearly 3% of total travelers and a 9% increase for these modes from a year ago
Thanksgiving travel costs (gas prices as of 11/18/24)
- Average price for a gallon of regular gasoline (U.S.) – $3.07, 25 cents less than a year ago
- Average price for a gallon of regular gasoline (IDAHO) – $3.17, 55 cents less than a year ago
- Average price for domestic airfare is 3% higher than a year ago
- Average price for domestic car rental is 2% lower than a year ago
- Average price for domestic hotel stay is 28% higher than a year ago
- Average price for cruises departing from domestic cities is 28% lower than a year ago
“For many families, Thanksgiving travel expenses are offset by shared meals, lodging, and family gatherings that can help keep costs down,” Conde said. “Gas prices are also much better than a year ago, which should put family gatherings within reach for more people.”
AAA to the rescue
AAA will provide emergency road service for nearly 570,000 vehicles over the Thanksgiving holiday, including 940 here in the Gem State. While dead batteries, flat tires, and engine fluid leaks are common issues, many of these can be prevented with a pre-trip vehicle inspection.
“Please be alert, rested, and courteous on the road,” Conde said. “This is a time of gratitude and celebration, and we should do all in our power to keep it from ending in mishap.”