Record number of Texans expected to travel during Thanksgiving week

Texans should give themselves extra time to reach their destinations during Thanksgiving week, with the most congestion expected Nov. 25-26. Traffic is also expected to be heavy as Texans return home Nov. 30, according to INRIX, a transportation data company.

Minimal traffic is expected on Thanksgiving Day.

AAA projects that 81.8 million Americans will travel during Thanksgiving week, up from about 80 million last Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is the busiest U.S. holiday for travel, topping holidays like Memorial Day and July Fourth, according to AAA.

“Thanksgiving travel is a true Texas tradition,” Galen Grillo, AAA Texas’ vice president and general manager, said in a statement. “From road trips along I-35 and I-10 to flights out of DFW and Houston, Texans go the distance to spend time with family and friends. It’s one of the busiest—and most meaningful—times to travel each year.”

Texas drivers will pay about the same for gas as they did last Thanksgiving, according to AAA Texas. One gallon of regular unleaded gas cost about $2.65 in Texas as of Nov. 13, down from $2.69 last year.

The national average price for a gallon of gas is $3.08, which is also similar to last year.

“Steady gas prices are good news for the millions of Texans preparing to travel for Thanksgiving,” AAA Texas spokesperson Daniel Armbruster said in a Nov. 13 news release. “Current market conditions are keeping pump prices in check, and barring any unexpected disruptions, we anticipate relatively calm conditions heading into the holiday rush.”

Travel tips

AAA encourages drivers to travel in the morning to avoid the worst traffic and watch out for hazards, such as construction, crashes and unexpected weather.

Texas recently commemorated 25 straight years of traffic fatalities on roads throughout the state, with over 91,000 deaths in Texas traffic crashes since Nov. 7, 2000. According to previous Community Impact reporting, state officials also encourage Texans to keep themselves and others safe by:

• Never driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Slowing down in bad weather, heavy traffic, construction zones and unfamiliar areas
• Eliminating distractions, and never using mobile devices while driving
• Ensuring everyone in the vehicle is wearing a seatbelt
• Using the left lane for passing only on multilane roads
• Keeping the Texas Roadside Assistance number, 1-800-525-5555, stored in your phone
• Moving over or slowing down for emergency vehicles stopped on the side of the road

Texans who are flying to their destinations this Thanksgiving should book parking in advance and check in for their flights online, per AAA Texas. The organization also recommends that passengers arrive at the airport at least two hours before a domestic flight and at least three hours before an international flight, in line with recommendations from Texas airports.

Nationally, AAA projects that 6 million Americans will take domestic flights for Thanksgiving, although that number could be slightly lower due to uncertainty surrounding flight cancellations related to the recent federal government shutdown and air traffic controller staffing issues.

The Federal Aviation Administration lifted an emergency flight reduction order for 40 U.S. airports, including those in Dallas and Houston, on Nov. 17, five days after the federal shutdown ended.