KENTUCKY — AAA projects 55.4 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from home over the Thanksgiving holiday travel period. The forecast is an increase of 2.3% over last year and marks the third-highest Thanksgiving forecast since AAA began tracking holiday travel in 2000.

The top two years were 2005 and 2019, respectively.

“Many Americans look forward to traveling over the Thanksgiving holiday so they can spend time with family and friends,” said Bevi Powell, senior vice president, AAA East Central. “This year’s forecast shows even more people are planning to get away whether it’s by car, plane or taking a dream cruise with loved ones.”

Most Thanksgiving travelers will drive to their destinations. AAA projects 49.1 million Americans will get behind the wheel, an increase of 1.7% compared to 2022. Drivers could be paying less for gas than last Thanksgiving when the national average was $3.58. This year, the national average peaked in mid-August at $3.87 and has been coming down since, despite global tensions causing ripples through the oil market.

They project around 4.7 million people nationwide will fly and 1.55 million will use other modes of transportation.

In the region that includes Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi, the organization projects 3 million travelers will go by car, 95,000 will go by air and 38,000 will use other means of transportation (bus, train, etc.)

INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, expects Wednesday, Nov. 22, to be the busiest day of travel. They recommend leaving in the morning or after 6 p.m. to avoid the heaviest holiday congestion.