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AAA expects nearly 80 million travelers will go 50 miles or more from home over the Thanksgiving holiday, marking an increase of 1.7 million compared to last year and 2 million more than in 2019. For the first time, AAA’s forecast includes the Tuesday before and the Monday after Thanksgiving to better capture holiday travel patterns.

A record 71.7 million people are expected to drive this Thanksgiving, up 1.3 million from last year and surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Gas prices are lower than last year, when the national average was $3.26 per gallon. Falling oil prices could bring the average below $3 per gallon for the first time since 2021. The busiest pick-up day for car rentals is Wednesday before Thanksgiving, with returns peaking Monday and Tuesday after the holiday.

Thanksgiving air travel is expected to hit 5.84 million domestic travelers, a 2% increase from last year and nearly 11% above 2019. Flight bookings are steady, with domestic fares up 3%, while international bookings rise 23% as prices drop 5%.

About 2.3 million people will travel by bus, train, or cruise—an 9% increase from last year and 18% above 2019. Cruise demand remains especially strong, with bookings up 20% from last Thanksgiving.

More travel safety tips can be found on AAA’s website.