Thanksgiving travel could break records this year but extreme weather could snarl pre-holiday traffic

WASHINGTON – It’s that time of year when millions of Americans across the U.S. begin to prepare their travel plans ahead of Thanksgiving, and experts predict a record number of people hitting the roads and packing airports this year.

Traveling can be stressful, and you’ll no doubt hear the phrase "pack your patience" a few times before you sit down with family and friends to celebrate the holiday.

Your fellow travelers are not the only ones who may add to the anxiety of getting from point A to point B safely – extreme weather can have a major impact on your timely arrival at your destination.

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According to the AAA, nearly 80 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home during the Thanksgiving holiday travel period, which runs from Nov. 26 through Dec. 2.

"Thanksgiving is the busiest holiday for travel, and this year we’re expecting to set new records across the board, from driving to flying and cruising," said Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, in a news release. "Americans reconnect with family and friends over Thanksgiving, and travel is a big part of that."

A record 71.7 million people are expected to get to their Thanksgiving destinations by car, which is an increase of 1.3 million people compared to 2023. That number is also higher than pre-pandemic numbers when 70.6 million drove in 2019.

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Air travel is also expected to break records in 2024, with AAA estimating 5.84 million people catching flights at airports across the country.

How's the weather looking?

Whether you're filling up your gas tank and driving or getting to the airport early to ensure there's enough time to get through security, no amount of preparation can keep Mother Nature in check to avoid the dreaded travel delays or, even worse, cancelations.

It's still too early to know what type of weather could impact Thanksgiving travel next week. However, if you were planning on trying to beat the traffic on the roads or avoid crowds at the airport by traveling this week, you'll want to know about a series of powerful storms sweeping across the U.S. that could significantly impact when you arrive.

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A powerful winter storm is set to blast portions of the U.S. with accumulating snow, cold temperatures, strong winds and rain. It's the second in a pair of storms moving from the central U.S. to the East Coast, impacting tens of millions of people.

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One storm will set the stage for widespread winter weather across the Dakotas in the Northern Tier and potentially into portions of the Midwest. As that storm exits by the middle of the week, it will set the stage for a second, more powerful storm that will sweep into the Ohio Valley, mid-Atlantic, Northeast and New England.

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Out West, a powerful bomb cyclone associated with a major atmospheric river is expected to soak the region from California to Washington this week, and that could lead to flooding.

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