Thanksgiving Travel 2026: Best Days to Fly and Drive, Nov. 21 to 30

Thanksgiving Day in the United States is Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026, a federal holiday. Last year the American Automobile Association (AAA) counted the holiday travel period from the Tuesday before to the Monday after, which is Nov. 24 to 30 in 2026. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) lists the holiday on Nov. 26. The question most people ask, which days to fly or drive, does not yet have a 2026 answer from the main forecaster.

AAA had not published its 2026 Thanksgiving travel forecast as of Nov. 8, 2026. Last year the forecast came out on Nov. 17, 2025. Until the 2026 version is released, the dates below are firm, and the travel patterns are from the 2025 forecast, clearly labeled as last year’s.

The Thanksgiving 2026 travel window

Thanksgiving always lands on the fourth Thursday of November, which is Nov. 26 in 2026. Trips cluster around it:

Date	Day	What last year’s data says about this weekday
Nov. 21	Saturday	Weekend before the holiday week; outside AAA’s 2025 travel period
Nov. 22	Sunday	Outside AAA’s 2025 travel period
Nov. 23	Monday	Outside AAA’s 2025 travel period
Nov. 24	Tuesday	First day of the 2025 travel period; heavy traffic from noon; Amtrak adds two Northeast Regional round trips (Nov. 24-25)
Nov. 25	Wednesday	Hertz’s expected busiest rental pick-up day in 2025; second day of Amtrak’s first extra round trips
Nov. 26	Thursday	Thanksgiving Day; minimal traffic and cheaper flights in 2025
Nov. 27	Friday	Heavy traffic 1 to 7 p.m. in 2025
Nov. 28	Saturday	Heavy traffic 1 to 8 p.m. in 2025; Amtrak adds two Northeast Regional round trips (Nov. 28-29)
Nov. 29	Sunday	One of the two busiest flight-return days in 2025; second day of Amtrak’s extra round trips
Nov. 30	Monday	One of the two busiest flight-return days in 2025

You can mark the same window on a November 2026 printable calendar or the printable travel calendar below.

Best and worst times to drive (2025 pattern)

AAA builds its drive-time guidance with INRIX, a transportation analytics company that measures traffic speeds. The windows below are from the 2025 forecast. They are shown on the 2026 calendar by matching each day to the same weekday relative to Thanksgiving, so treat them as last year’s pattern, not a 2026 prediction.

Date (2026)	Lightest traffic (2025 pattern)	Heaviest traffic (2025 pattern)
Tue., Nov. 24	Before noon	12 to 9 p.m.
Wed., Nov. 25	Before 11 a.m.	11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Thu., Nov. 26	Any time; minimal impact	Minimal
Fri., Nov. 27	Before 11 a.m.	1 to 7 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 28	Before 10 a.m.	1 to 8 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 29	Before 11 a.m.	11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Mon., Nov. 30	After 8 p.m.	12 to 8 p.m.

The common thread last year was simple: leave early in the day, and avoid the late-afternoon and evening peak.

Last year’s numbers (2025, for context)

In its Nov. 17, 2025 forecast, AAA projected 81.8 million people would travel at least 50 miles from home between Tuesday, Nov. 25 and Monday, Dec. 1, 2025. AAA called it a record for the holiday, an increase of 1.6 million over 2024. At least 73 million of those travelers, nearly 90 percent, went by car. About 6 million flew, up 2 percent from 2024, and buses, trains and cruises carried nearly 2.5 million, up 8.5 percent.

In the same 2025 release, INRIX flagged several routes with the biggest delays:

Route (2025 example)	Peak day and time	Travel time	Above normal
Los Angeles to Bakersfield, Interstate 5 North	Wednesday, 7:45 p.m.	4 hours 10 minutes	147 percent
New York to the Hamptons, Long Island Expressway East	Tuesday, 4:30 p.m.	4 hours 8 minutes	163 percent
Washington, D.C. to Baltimore, Baltimore-Washington Parkway North	Tuesday, 4:30 p.m.	1 hour 50 minutes	166 percent
Atlanta to Savannah, Interstate 16 East	Sunday, 3:30 p.m.	5 hours 16 minutes	53 percent
Indianapolis to Chicago, Interstate 65 North	Sunday, 3:45 p.m.	4 hours 8 minutes	57 percent

The car-rental company Hertz expected Wednesday to be its busiest pick-up day in 2025.

Flying over Thanksgiving

AAA’s 2025 data showed a roundtrip domestic flight averaging about $700. The group noted that it is cheaper to fly on Thanksgiving Day itself, but the flight home drives the ticket price up because Sunday and Monday are the busiest return days. In recent years, except for 2020, the number of Thanksgiving air travelers has run between 5 and 6 million.

Two rules matter at the airport. First, REAL ID enforcement began May 7, 2025. To board a domestic flight you need a REAL ID-compliant license, a passport or another accepted form of identification. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) says travelers without an acceptable ID must pay a $45 fee; the TSA ConfirmID fee and 10-day window are explained in a separate story.

Second, a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) rule announced April 24, 2024 requires airlines to issue an automatic cash refund when a flight is canceled or significantly changed and the passenger declines rebooking or a travel credit. “Significant” includes a departure or arrival time change of more than three hours for a domestic flight or six hours for an international flight, a different airport, added connections or a downgrade. Refunds are due within seven business days for credit-card purchases and 20 calendar days for other payments.

Amtrak Thanksgiving trains

Amtrak said on Nov. 3, 2026 that it is adding cars to select Northeast Regional trains from Nov. 20 to 30. It is also adding two Northeast Regional round trips between Washington Union Station, New York Penn Station and cities in between on Nov. 24-25 and Nov. 28-29. Amtrak says it carried more than 1.2 million customer trips over the 2025 Thanksgiving holiday, and it advises travelers to book early. Tickets are sold on Amtrak.com, in the Amtrak app, at station kiosks and staffed stations, and by phone through Amtrak’s toll-free line.

Flight checklist

• Confirm your REAL ID, passport or other accepted identification well before the trip.
• Check in online and save a mobile or printed boarding pass.
• Fly on Thanksgiving Day if you can; AAA found it cheaper in 2025.
• Avoid booking the Sunday or Monday return if a quieter day works for you.
• Arrive early; holiday security lines are longer than usual.
• Keep the airline’s app and your confirmation number handy in case of changes.
• Know your refund rights if the airline cancels or significantly changes the flight.

Road-trip checklist

• Leave early in the day to miss the late-afternoon and evening peak.
• Fill the tank the night before you leave, as AAA recommends.
• Check the battery and tire pressure before a long drive.
• Pack water, snacks, phone chargers and a basic emergency kit.
• Plan rest stops and share your route and arrival time with someone.
• Build in extra time on the Tuesday and Wednesday out and the Sunday and Monday back.
• Never drive impaired; have a sober driver for holiday gatherings.

What to watch for

When AAA releases its 2026 Thanksgiving forecast, the specific drive-time windows and travel totals may shift. This page will be updated with the 2026 figures once they are published. For planning now, the dates are set, and last year’s rhythm is a reasonable guide.