A record number of Tennesseans are expected to travel for this year’s Thanksgiving holiday, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA).
AAA forecasts that more than 1.9 million Tennesseans will travel 50 miles or more for the holiday over the period of seven days (November 26-December 2) which would set an all-time high for Thanksgiving travel in the state.
Out of the 1.9 million Tennesseans projected to travel for the holiday, approximately 1.83 million are expected to drive while 51,283 will fly and 20,455 will travel by other means of transportation.
The number of Thanksgiving travelers across the nation is also projected to be a record high this year, as AAA predicts that 79.9 million individuals will travel over the holiday period.
In the Volunteer State, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) announced Monday that Thanksgiving travelers would not be delayed by construction during this year’s holiday.
All construction-related lane closures in the state will be stopped from noon on Wednesday, November 27, through 6:00 a.m. next Monday, December 2, according to TDOT.
“Thanksgiving is typically the most traveled holiday of the year. Halting road work during this time will provide maximum capacity on our highways and help alleviate congestion, especially during the predicted peak travel days of Wednesday and Sunday,” Deputy Governor and TDOT Commissioner Butch Eley said in a statement.
When it comes to costs associated with the Thanksgiving holiday, prices for fuel and food are lower this year than in previous years; however, they remain high compared to 2019 and 2020 prices.
The American Farm Bureau Federation’s Thanksgiving dinner survey found that the classic feast for 10 people in 2024 will cost $58.08, down 5 percent from last year.
In Tennessee, the average price for a gallon of unleaded gasoline was $2.71 as of Monday, 18 cents lower than 2023’s average price of $2.89.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
