Thanksgiving is always a busy time on the road and in the air, but this year is shaping up to be even bigger than most. When it comes to staying safe while traveling, AAA is really king. Founded in 1902, “AAA has been an advocate for motorists, safer roads and vehicles, better educated drivers and the rights of travelers,” according to their official website.
“AAA provides more than 65 million members with automotive, travel, insurance, and financial services across North America,” they add. “For more than 122 years, AAA has been a leader and advocate for safe mobility.”
AAA’s Official Thanksgiving Travel Announcement
Now, AAA has released its official travel forecast, and in it, the big news is that they caution travelers about an extra busy season. According to the research and report, AAA projects 81.8 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home over the Thanksgiving holiday period from Tuesday, Nov. 25 to Monday, Dec. 1.
On top of that, the 2025 domestic travel forecast packs an additional 1.6 million travelers compared to last Thanksgiving. That sets a new record for Thanksgiving travel. AAA also notes that this holiday is always the busiest for travel, even more than holidays such as July 4 or Memorial Day.
For car travel, AAA projects that at least 73 million people will travel by car, which is up 90 percent and adds 1.3 million people on the road compared to last Thanksgiving. “That number could end up being higher if some air travelers decide to drive instead of fly following recent flight cancellations,” they add.
For those flying, 6 million U.S. travelers are expected to take domestic flights during the Thanksgiving holiday period, which marks a 2 percent increase compared to 2024, according to AAA. But, they add that the actual number “could end up being slightly lower as some air travelers make other plans following recent flight cancellations.”
Another Trend: Meal Kits, Such As Blue Apron’s Thanksgiving Meal Kits
Another trend this holiday outside of travel is food-related. Food & Wine magazine points out that there are plenty of “store-bought shortcuts” that are gaining steam. In a feature out on Nov. 19, they suggest simple staples such as Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix and College Inn Chicken Broth making Turkey Day easy and delicious.
But, for men who are looking for an easy and quick way to impress company, why not let the experts do the prep? One trend in pre-made Thanksgiving dishes is meals that are already packaged up and ready to cook, which makes things easier. Blue Apron has one of these Thanksgiving meal kits, and it packs everything from roasted turkey to apple crumb pie.
“Yes, you can prepare an entire Thanksgiving meal with only meal kits, and it does make the entire process much easier and less stressful,” notes Cnet in their review of the meal. “Who wouldn’t be thankful for that?” This writer has also tried it, and it sure makes dinner run much smoother and stress-free.
This story was originally reported by Men’s Journal on Nov 21, 2025, where it first appeared in the Travel section. Add Men’s Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.