Minnesotans Part of 6.5 Million Expected to Travel for Thanksgiving

Concerns over flight changes could push more travelers to hit the road

11/17/25 | Travel

AAA projects that 6.54 million people from the West North Central Region*, which includes Nebraska and Iowa, will travel at least 50 miles from home during the Thanksgiving holiday period, which runs from Tuesday, November 25 to Monday, December 1. This marks a 1.8% increase over last year and continues the growing trend for Thanksgiving travel in the region.

*West North Central (WNC): IA, KS, MN, MO, ND, NE, SD

Nationwide, AAA expects 81.8 million Americans to travel for Thanksgiving. That’s an increase of 1.6 million travelers compared to 2024. Thanksgiving remains the busiest travel holiday of the year, surpassing both Memorial Day and Independence Day.

• Total Travelers: 6,547,000 (+1.8%)
• By Car: 5,895,000 (+1.3%)
• By Air: 306,000 (+1.8%)
• By Other Modes (bus, train, cruise): 345,000 (+12%)

“Iowans and Nebraskans are embracing the Thanksgiving spirit with record-breaking travel plans this year,” said Debbie Haas, Vice President of Travel for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Whether it’s driving across the state or flying across the country, people are making time to connect with loved ones. Even with concerns about flight cancellations, travelers are showing flexibility and resilience and relying most on driving.”

AAA projects that nearly 73 million Americans will travel by car this Thanksgiving, representing almost 90% of all holiday travelers. In the WNC Region, more than 5.8 million residents will drive to their destinations. That number could rise if travelers opt to avoid potential flight disruptions.

Rental Cars: Hertz, AAA’s car rental partner, reports that Wednesday will be the busiest day for vehicle pick-ups. Good news for renters: domestic car rental rates are down 15% compared to last year.

Gas Prices: Drivers can expect gas prices similar to last Thanksgiving, when the national average was $3.06 per gallon. Nebraska’s average was $2.75, and Iowa saw a $2.71 average on Thanksgiving last year. AAA recommends filling up the night before travel and checking your battery and tire pressure. Last year, AAA responded to nearly 600,000 roadside assistance calls nationwide, many for dead batteries, flat tires, and empty fuel tanks.

Impaired Driving: AAA and MADD urge travelers to plan ahead and avoid impaired driving. Between 2019 and 2023, 868 people died in drunk-driving crashes during Thanksgiving, accounting for 35% of all traffic fatalities during the holiday period.

AAA expects 6 million Americans to fly domestically this Thanksgiving, a 2% increase from 2024. In the WNC Region, nearly 306,000 residents will take to the skies. Given recent flight reductions, that number could end up being lower as flights get cancelled or travelers make other plans.

Airfares: Domestic airfares are similar to last year, averaging $700 for a round-trip. Flying on Thanksgiving Day can offer savings but return flights on Sunday and Monday tend to be the most expensive. Some travelers are adjusting their schedules to avoid peak travel days.

“With recent flight reductions and the potential for last-minute cancellations, we encourage air travelers to build flexibility into their plans,” says Brian Ortner, spokesperson for AAA in Nebraska and Iowa. “Consider flying on less busy days, booking early morning departures when delays are less likely, and having a backup plan in case your flight is disrupted. Whether that means adjusting your return date or being ready to drive, a little preparation can go a long way in helping you navigate the unexpected.”

Travel by bus, train, and cruise is expected to rise 8.5% nationally, reaching nearly 2.5 million travelers. Nebraska and Iowa residents contribute to the 345,000 who will travel by these modes, a 12% increase. Cruise travel continues to surge, with AAA projecting 20.7 million U.S. cruise passengers in 2025 and 21.7 million in 2026. Thanksgiving cruises to the Caribbean are especially popular for their warm weather and all-inclusive appeal.

The top holiday destinations listed below are based on AAA booking data for the Thanksgiving travel period. Florida is the most popular domestic destination, thanks to the area’s theme parks and cruise ports. The international list is a mix of Europe, the Caribbean, and Australia for its warm spring weather this time of year. 

According to INRIX, Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons will be the most congested travel times before Thanksgiving. Heavy traffic is expected all day Sunday as travelers return home. AAA recommends leaving early and staying alert for construction, crashes, or weather delays. Remember to Slow Down and Move Over for emergency responders and stopped vehicles.

Find the full forecast for each metro area on Newsroom.AAA.com

For those traveling to Minneapolis, the peak congestion period will be around 4:45 PM on Sunday. A trip from Eau Claire, WI to Minneapolis will take approximately 1 hour 49 minutes, up 53% from typical traffic times. 

In cooperation with AAA, S&P Global Market Intelligence (SPGMI) developed a unique methodology to forecast actual domestic travel volumes. The economic variables used to forecast travel for the current holiday are leveraged from SPGMI’s proprietary databases. These data include macroeconomic drivers such as employment, output, household net worth, asset prices including stock indices, interest rates, housing market indicators, and variables related to travel and tourism, including gasoline prices, airline travel, and hotel stays. AAA and SPGMI have quantified holiday travel volumes going back to 2000. 

Historical travel volume estimates come from MMGY’s TRAVEL PERFORMANCE/MonitorSM. The PERFORMANCE/MonitorSM is a comprehensive study measuring the travel behavior of U.S. residents. MMGY contacts over 50,000 U.S. households each month to obtain detailed travel data, resulting in the unique ability to estimate visitor volume and spending, identify trends, and forecast U.S. travel behavior, all after the trips have been taken.   

The travel forecast is reported in person-trips. In particular, AAA and SPGMI forecast the total U.S. holiday travel volume and expected mode of transportation. The travel forecast presented in this report was finalized the week of October 20, 2025. 

Because AAA holiday forecasts focus on domestic leisure travel only, comparisons to TSA passenger screening numbers should not be made. TSA data includes all passengers traveling on both domestic and international routes, whether traveling for work or leisure. Additionally, TSA screens passengers each time they enter secured areas of the airport, therefore each one-way trip is counted as a passenger tally. AAA focuses on person-trips, which include the full round-trip travel itinerary. As a result, direct comparisons of AAA forecast volumes and daily TSA screenings represent different factors. 

INRIX Methodology 

INRIX blends statistically grounded models with real-world road behavior to forecast travel conditions on the most heavily traveled routes across the U.S. during peak holiday periods. INRIX’s holiday traffic forecast combines pre-selected high-impact travel routes, rich multi-source traffic data, and a statistically robust linear regression model to generate detailed, time-specific travel delay predictions. INRIX’s data sources include a wide array of vehicle-based and infrastructure-based inputs. These include connected vehicle GPS data, mobile apps and navigation services, roadside sensors and cameras, and commercial fleet telematics. With expansive coverage, high temporal resolution, and historical context, this forecasting process provides essential insights for travelers, media, and agencies alike. 

Thanksgiving Holiday Travel Period  

The Thanksgiving holiday travel period is defined as the seven-day period from Tuesday, November 25 to Monday, December 1, 2025. This Thanksgiving travel window was instituted starting in 2024. Historical results were calculated dating back to 2019 using the same seven-day period.