Thanksgiving 2024: Date, Travel Predictions, and Holiday Insights

Thanksgiving in 2024 will be celebrated on Thursday, November 28. This date marks the latest possible day for the holiday, which always falls on the fourth Thursday of November.

This year’s Thanksgiving is expected to see a record number of travelers. According to AAA, nearly 80 million Americans are projected to travel domestically over the Thanksgiving holiday period, which spans from Tuesday, November 26, to Monday, December 2. This represents an increase of 1.7 million travelers compared to last year and 2 million more than in 2019.

The majority of travelers, approximately 71.7 million, will travel by car, while nearly 2.3 million will use other modes of transportation such as buses, cruises, or trains. Airlines are also preparing for a surge, with an average of 2.8 million passengers flying daily, a 5% increase from 2023.

For those planning to travel by car, the worst times to hit the road are expected to be Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons, while Thanksgiving Day itself is anticipated to have minimal traffic impact. Drivers returning home on Sunday and Monday should be prepared for significant congestion, especially in metropolitan areas like Boston, New York, LA, Seattle, and Washington, DC.