Wednesday is expected to be one of the busiest days to travel, and a recent AAA report recommends leaving early in the morning or after 6 p.m. to avoid congestion, per data from INRIX, a private analytics organization. The Saturday and Sunday following the holiday are also expected to be highly trafficked, and drivers are recommended to hit the road before noon to avoid crowds.
“The day before Thanksgiving is notoriously one of the most congested days on our roadways,” Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX, said in the AAA report. “Travelers should be prepared for long delays, especially in and around major metros.”
According to AAA, some larger cities are expected to see bad enough congestion that average travel times could rise by more than 80 percent of their usual numbers. Los Angeles, Seattle and Washington, D.C., are expected to see the most congestion. But drivers might be paying less for gas than last year, which has been coming down from a $3.87 peak in August, according to the report.
