Record number of Thanksgiving travelers projected for Florida, nation

Holiday travel is back with a vengeance. Image via AP.

Florida will likely see a record number of travelers during the Thanksgiving holiday period, with more than 4.5 million people taking to the road or air.

AAA Auto Club of Florida projects the Thanksgiving period this year will see 112,000 more travelers during the Thanksgiving stretch compared to 2023. The Florida travel surge during Thanksgiving break reflects national expectations, as AAA officials predict that 79.9 million travelers will travel at least 50 miles from their homes.

“We expect to see record travel numbers across the board,” said Debbie Haas, Vice President of travel for AAA — The Auto Club Group. “With more people taking to the roads, skies, rails, and sea; travelers should expect congested roads and longer lines at transportation terminals. AAA encourages travelers to develop their plan now and consider travel insurance, which provides compensation for flight cancellations, delays, and lost luggage.”

Gasoline prices are expected to run between $3 to $3.15 per gallon, about the same as November 2023. But just little change in that cost means a majority of travelers will be more willing to load up for a drive.

“Falling oil prices this autumn may help push the national average below $3 a gallon for the first time since 2021, and that could happen before drivers hit the road for Thanksgiving. Regionally, drivers east of the Rockies will find gas between $2.25 to $2.50 a gallon in more than a dozen states,” a AAA news release said.

Among Florida travelers, 4.1 million people will be traveling by auto, another 289,000 will be flying on airlines and about 82,000 people will be traveling by other modes of transportation, such as train, cruise ship or bus.

Nationally, AAA officials say there’s likely to be 71.7 million travelers taking trips in their autos, another 5.8 million by air and some 2.3 million by other forms of transportation.