Thanksgiving holiday travel: What you need to know if you're flying, driving or taking the LIRR

Thanksgiving traditionally kicks off the busiest travel week of the year and this holiday season figures to be no different, with the AAA projecting 81.8 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles or more from home — at least 73 million of them by automobile.

The Thanksgiving holiday travel season begins Nov. 25 and ends Dec. 1.

"Thanksgiving is the single busiest holiday for travel and has become synonymous with heading out of town to spend time with loved ones," AAA Northeast spokesman Robert Sinclair Jr., said.

This year, the AAA predicts there will be 1.6 million more travelers than the same time period just a year ago. Here's the breakdown by air, land and rail:

FAA ends flight reductions

The AAA is predicting 6 million travelers will take domestic flights this Thanksgiving season, a 2% increase over a year ago.

Flyers may be relieved to know that the Federal Aviation Administration on Monday ended an emergency order mandating flight reductions at 40 airports during the government shutdown.

That order began Nov. 7 and had cut air traffic into and out of four major metropolitan area airports — Kennedy, LaGuardia, Newark-Liberty and Teterboro — by as much as 10%. Both Kennedy and LaGuardia had seen delays of three hours or more during the shutdown, according to FlightAware and other tracking services. 

Officials have warned air traffic controller shortages could still play a role in holiday travel disruptions, as could weather.

Higher gas prices

AAA notes that the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is traditionally the busiest day of the year for travelers to pick up rental cars. Data suggests domestic car rentals are 15% cheaper now than the same time last year.

The news isn't as good for other drivers, however, according to AAA. The average price for a gallon of regular gas on Long Island is $3.02, 4 cents higher than a year ago; in New York City it's $3.15, 8 cents more.

The national average is the same as a year ago, AAA said: $3.07 for a gallon of regular. 

AAA said it responded to almost 600,000 roadside emergency calls last Thanksgiving holiday travel season — with flat tires, dead batteries and empty gas tanks heading the list of problems experienced by holiday drivers.

Partnering with Mothers Against Drunk Driving, AAA also reminds drivers of the dangers of impaired driving. Drunk driving contributed to 868 fatalities nationwide during the Thanksgiving holidays between 2019 and 2023, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — accounting for nearly a third of all traffic deaths during that period.

"Have a plan in place before Thanksgiving and use a rideshare, designate a sober driver or take public transit to ensure everyone's safety," AAA said in its annual Thanksgiving holiday travel forecast Monday.

Expanded LIRR service

The Long Island Rail Road has announced expanded Thanksgiving Day service, with added and adjusted schedules available on the Babylon and Ronkonkoma branches, added service on the Hempstead Branch and adjusted service on the Port Jefferson Branch.

Thanksgiving Day schedules can be found on the MTA-LIRR website, listed among special holiday event timetables.

The LIRR also has added service in the Manhattan-City Zone to accommodate Thanksgiving Day parade travelers.

For those who still plan on driving, AAA warns the worst time to drive each day will be from noon-9 p.m. on Nov. 25; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. on Nov. 26; 1-7 p.m. on Nov. 28; 1-8 p.m. on Nov. 29; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. on Nov. 30, and noon-8 p.m. on Dec. 1.

AAA said the impact of holiday driving should be "minimal" on Thanksgiving Day. The worst holiday week drive times in the metro area are expected to be Wednesday evening and during the afternoon into evening on Sunday.

The best times to drive? AAA said before 11 a.m. is best, except for Dec. 1, when the it recommends driving after 8 p.m.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a Newsday reporter since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press, Society of the Silurians and National Headliner Awards for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing. He is the author of “Swee'pea,” about New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. His debut crime novel, “For Nothing Is Hidden,” rooted in 1950s Long Island, was released in October 2025.