Experts have revealed to Newsweek the best days and times to travel this Thanksgiving weekend as poor weather could cause complications.
Every year, Thanksgiving travel seems to break new records, and this year is no different, according to insurance and travel agency American Automobile Association (AAA). Travel is once again expected to exceed pre-pandemic levels with just shy of 80 million travelers over the Thanksgiving holiday period.
The agency reported 2019's total travel as hitting 77.78 million travelers, while 2023 hit 78.18 million travelers and 2024 will hit 79.86 million travelers in that same period. The vast bulk of travelers will hit the road or take to the skies, but "other" modes of transit such as buses and trains have seen a big bump of over 18 percent since 2019.
All of that to say that travelers can expect more congestion and delays in travel plans unless they plan accordingly, and Newsweek spoke to a couple of experts who shared their insights as to how to best avoid these issues.
"The best thing is to plan early to reach [your destination] by Wednesday and leave on Saturday evening," Mahmood A. Khan, professor of hospitality & tourism management at Virginia Tech, said. "Traveling on Thursday and Sunday is risky and may cause unexpected delays. No matter what mode of transportation is selected, the best advice is to pack a lot of patience."
Khan also highlighted the difficulties of traveling with electric vehicles, which can add to travel time and congestion since "recharging stations are limited and time-consuming."
Hesham Rakha, a transportation infrastructure and systems engineering expert, suggested that while Google Maps may provide the best information for quick routes, those may quickly become congested since everyone gets the same information.
"Sometimes, I use Google Maps and then don't use their recommendations," Rakha told Newsweek. "Sometimes it will say, 'there's an accident on road x and take this bypass,' but I will continue on the road. Everyone else has taken the bypass."
He added: "Travel at times other people won't be traveling. That's the key. It might mean you have to wake up really early, but it will save hours in traffic."
The greatest complicating factor, however, will remain weather, with much of the Northeast hit by rain and snow while storms hit Florida and the South.
"Unfortunately, but not unexpectedly, the weather conditions in some parts will be expecting snow, rain, or storms," Khan told Newsweek. "However, such storms and delays have never proven unsurmountable compared to the emotional togetherness and memories these occasions bring."
Khan added that travel difficulties will not remain limited to Thanksgiving plans, but will also apply to Black Friday shopping and said, "Outlet stores and chain stores are the hardest hit areas as far as traffic and parking are concerned. Weather will add to the misery, but it depends on the region."
Part of the drive to get shopping done on Black Friday may not be simply the deals, which have not lived up to expectations in recent years. Forty-one percent of items are priced the same as at other times of the year and 25 percent have higher prices than usual, according to WalletHub.
Instead, it may be the desire to avoid gift-buying anxiety, Khan said, noting that "gift selection and remembering at the last minute may cause undue stress."
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