More than 373,000 West Virginians Expected to Travel for Thanksgiving Holiday

(LOOTPRESS) – AAA is projecting that 373,466 West Virginians will travel 50 miles or more from home over the Thanksgiving holiday, between Tuesday, Nov. 25, and Monday, Dec. 1, an increase of about 1.7% over last year. Travelers in the Mountain State will be a part of 81.8 million Americans expected to travel nationwide over the holiday period

“Americans continue to make travel a priority, with Thanksgiving an especially popular holiday for taking a trip to gather with family and friends,” says Lori Weaver Hawkins, public and government affairs manager, AAA Blue Grass. “Travelers should expect busy roadways and airports, and plan accordingly.”

West Virginia Thanksgiving Travel Forecast 2025

*U.S. Census Bureau (v2024)/MMGY Global

Most will travel by car
West Virginians love road trips, with more than 91% of those traveling — about 341,606 West Virginians — expected to do so by automobile. That equates to about 1.7% more people in the state hitting the road than a year ago.

Motorists will find pump prices hovering right around the $3 mark throughout the West Virginia, with the statewide average at $3 per gallon of regular as of Nov. 18, just 2 cents higher than a year ago. Twenty-five counties are averaging below the $3 mark.

Nationally, AAA is predicting that about 89.6% of travelers will opt for a road trip – about 73.3 million travelers.

Be sure your vehicle is road ready
Whether you are traveling a long distance or staying local, minimize the risk of spending precious time over your Thanksgiving holiday stranded along the roadside by making sure your vehicle is road ready. AAA suggests getting an inspection of your vehicle to check key components like the battery, fuel system, tires, brakes and fluid levels. If your vehicle’s battery is three or more years old, it’s especially important to have it checked by a professional battery tech to reduce the chance of being stranded roadside. Motorists can find a AAA Approved Auto Repair through AAA.com.

Staying safe on the roadways
With so many taking to the roadways, Weaver Hawkins reminds West Virginians to put safety first and not get distracted or angry behind the wheel. Travelers should also give themselves plenty of time to reach their destinations.

“I say it every holiday: pack your patience,” she says. “Becoming frustrated because you’re caught in traffic and running late can lead to anger behind the wheel and aggressive driving behaviors, like tailgating, running redlights, abrupt lane changes and even road rage.”

Weaver Hawkins reminds drivers not to police the driving behavior of others and instead, focus on getting to and from their destinations safely. AAA also reminds motorists to never get behind the wheel impaired and to ensure everyone in the vehicle is buckled up before pulling out of the driveway.

No Holiday for AAA – Slow Down and Move Over
AAA reminds motorists that not everyone is on vacation during the Thanksgiving holiday period. AAA’s emergency roadside rescue crews, law enforcement and other workers will be at the roadside, helping and protecting others.

“Stay focused on the road ahead. When you see someone at the roadside, reduce your speed. If it’s safe to do so, move over a lane until you’ve passed the incident,” Weaver Hawkins says. “We want to ensure everyone makes it home safely to their loved ones this Thanksgiving holiday.” AAA reminds that West Virginian’s Move Over law protects not only roadside workers, but stranded motorists displaying flashers or other warning signal at the roadside.

More than 6% of West Virginians traveling are expected to fly
AAA is projecting about 23,010 West Virginians will take to the skies, about 6.2% of all those traveling. That’s an increase of about 0.5% over air travel for the Thanksgiving holiday in 2024.

Nationally, 7.4% of all travelers – 6 million Americans – are expected to fly, about 2.1% more than last Thanksgiving.

“Travelers who plan to fly should get to the airport earlier than normal, due to larger crowds leading to longer security lines,” Weaver Hawkins adds. “Download your airline’s app and sign up for alerts to keep on top of any gate changes, delays or cancellations.”

Buses, trains and other modes of travel are also up in West Virginia
AAA expects 7,080 West Virginians – about 1.9% of all those traveling – to go by bus, train or some other mode of transportation over the holiday weekend. This includes those travelers opting to go on a cruise. That equates to about a 5.5% increase over Thanksgiving 2024.

Nationwide, AAA forecasts that 2.5 million will travel by modes of transportation other than automobile or by air, about 3% of all travelers across the country. This is an 8.6% increase compared with the Thanksgiving holiday 2024.

Best/worst times to travel
INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, expects Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons to be the most congested periods before Thanksgiving Day. Travelers returning home on Sunday should anticipate heavy traffic most of the day. Drivers should hit the road in the morning to avoid the worst backups, but keep in mind construction, crashes or severe weather could impact travel times in certain locations.

Please note the times listed below are for the time zone in which the metro is located. For example, Atlanta routes = ET and Los Angeles routes = PT.

SOURCE: INRIX

Travelers headed to large metros, warm climates
AAA booking data reveals that big cities and warm destinations are topping travelers’ destination lists this Thanksgiving, both domestically and abroad: