ATLANTA — Travel experts AAA the Auto Club Group said they expect record-breaking travel for Thanksgiving both in Georgia and across the United States.
In the state of Georgia, 2.3 million state residents are forecast to drive or fly at least 50 miles for the holiday, which AAA says is an all-time high for the holiday and more than 40,000 more than in 2023.
Nationally, travel is likewise expected to break the record, with an estimated 79.9 million people forecast to travel for the holiday, a 2% increase over 2023′s record and two million more than travel counts in 2019.
AAA said the travel numbers are surging upward thanks to economic growth, declining inflation and strong income gains, all expected to boost consumer spending by 4.6% compared to last year.
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“We expect to see record travel numbers across the board,” said Debbie Haas, Vice President of Travel for AAA. “With more people taking to the roads, skies, rails, and sea, travelers should expect congested roads and longer lines at transportation terminals. AAA encourages travelers to develop their plan now and consider travel insurance, which compensates for flight cancellations, delays, and lost luggage.”
The travel organization also said the travel period this year is a full seven days, going from Tuesday, Nov. 26 to Monday, Dec. 2, unlike last year which only covered Wednesday to Sunday.
In addition to record travel, the types of travel this holiday season are also different. Haas said rather than just driving to see family or flying across the country, some holiday travelers are going on cruises.
“The demand for cruises has been red-hot this year,” Haas said. “Domestic and international cruise bookings are up 20% compared to last Thanksgiving. As new ocean and river cruising options have been introduced, more travelers are discovering the value and joy of cruising.”
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