Taking a Thanksgiving road trip in South Carolina? What to know.

A record-setting 82 million people across the U.S. are planning to travel more than 50 miles from home during the Thanksgiving holiday, with the vast majority of those people travelling by car, according to AAA.

South Carolina in years past has seen higher than the national average of holiday car travel, though AAA did not report specific South Carolina data for 2025. Still, Columbia is expected to be a top travel destination for Thanksgiving this year. The South Carolina capital city is the top-searched destination for Thanksgiving flights across the U.S., according to Google Flights data.

Experts warn that Thanksgiving this year will be a particularly busy travel period. Here’s what you should know before hitting the road.

The best and worst times to drive

With millions of people expected to be driving for Thanksgiving this year, timing your trip correctly could help avoid the worst of the holiday traffic. Here are the best and worst times to hit the road, according to AAA.

Best travel times

• Wednesday, Nov. 26 – before 11 a.m.

• Thursday, Nov. 27 – anytime

• Friday Nov. 28 – before 11 a.m.

• Saturday Nov. 29 – before 10 a.m.

• Sunday Nov. 30 – Before 11 a.m.

• Monday Dec. 1 – After 8 p.m.

Worst travel times

• Wednesday, Nov. 26 – 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

• Friday Nov. 28 – 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.

• Saturday Nov. 29 – 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.

• Sunday Nov. 30 – 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

• Monday Dec. 1 – 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.

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How to check road conditions

There were several crashes reported in and around the Columbia area Tuesday afternoon, the start of the holiday travel window.

• Check the road conditions on your specific route at 511sc.org.

Where are the most dangerous Columbia-area intersections?

Richland County sees among the highest number of vehicle collisions in the state, with 12,450 accidents in 2023. Only Charleston and Greenville counties had more car accidents that year, according to previous reporting by The State.

This year, there have been 42 traffic fatalities in Richland County between Jan. 1 and Nov. 23, 2025. And already, four people across South Carolina have died in the few days leading up to the Thanksgiving travel window, according to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety.

Richland County’s five most dangerous intersections are all located near busy interstates that are sure to see an increase in activity during the holiday travel period.

What will travel cost this year?

Travelling by car this Thanksgiving might mean saving some money, depending on where you fill up and if you rent a car or not.

• Gassing up in South Carolina might be a smart move, with the statewide average price for a gallon of gas sitting at $2.725, over the national average of $3.055 as of Tuesday.

• Gas gets cheaper or more expensive depending on where you are in South Carolina. In Richland County, the average price for a gallon of gas was $2.780 Tuesday, compared to $2.974 in Allendale County and $2.602 in Oconee County.

• Renting a car could also be cheaper than it’s been in the past, with AAA reporting that domestic car rental rates are 15% lower this year than last.

• In Columbia, car rental company Hertz reports the average daily rental price at $57.

Here are the most dangerous intersections in Richland County

Most people have had their travel plans booked for weeks or months

Many South Carolina travelers had already set their plans in place before Halloween, according to AAA. With just 6% of South Carolina Thanksgiving travelers waiting until November to finalize their plans.

• More than half (57%) of South Carolinians will travel for Thanksgiving, according to AAA survey data.

• 63% of South Carolina Thanksgiving travel had already been booked by the end of September

• By the end of October, 92% of trips had been finalized, according to AAA.