54 Million Americans Traveling Thanksgiving Holiday, Most Since 2005

Orlando top travel destination, New York, Los Angeles ranked 2nd and 3rd

The American Automobile Association is predicting over 54.3 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more away from home this Thanksgiving, a 4.8 percent increase over last year. The 2018 holiday weekend will see the highest Thanksgiving travel volume in more than a dozen years (since 2005), with 2.5 million more people taking to the nation's roads, skies, rails and waterways compared with last year. For the 48.5 million Americans planning a Thanksgiving road trip, INRIX, a global mobility analytics company, predicts travel times in the most congested cities in the U.S. could be as much as four times longer than a normal trip.

"Consumers have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season: higher wages, more disposable income and rising levels of household wealth," said Bill Sutherland, AAA Travel senior vice president. "This is translating into more travelers kicking off the holiday season with a Thanksgiving getaway, building on a positive year for the travel industry."

The 2018 Thanksgiving holiday period is defined as Wednesday, November 21 to Sunday, November 25.

U.S. Thanksgiving Holiday Travel Stats:

• Automobiles: The vast majority of travelers - 48.5 million - will hit the road this Thanksgiving, nearly 5 percent more than last year.

• Planes: The largest growth in holiday travel is by air, at 5.4 percent, with 4.27 million travelers.

• Trains, Buses and Cruise Ships: Travel across these sectors will increase by 1.4 percent, with a total 1.48 million passengers.

Car Rental Costs Fall, Hotel Prices Mixed

Travelers can expect to save on car rentals this Thanksgiving holiday season. At $63, the average daily rate is 10 percent less than last year, according to AAA's Leisure Travel Index. Travelers can also save on AAA Three Diamond hotels, with an average nightly rate of $166, a decline of six percent compared to last year. Conversely, the average rate for AAA Two Diamond hotels has increased six percent with an average nightly cost of $124.

Top 10 Thanksgiving Destinations

Many travelers will seek iconic American cities, theme parks and other warm-weather destinations this Thanksgiving. Orlando, New York City and Anaheim top this year's top 10 holiday destinations based on AAA's online and travel agency air and tour bookings. Punta Cana, Dallas/Fort Worth and Miami are all gaining popularity as holiday spots compared with last year.

1.  Orlando, Florida
2.  New York, New York
3.  Anaheim, California
4.  Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
5.  Las Vegas, Nevada
6.  Cancun, Mexico
7.  Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas
8.  Honolulu, Hawaii
9.  Washington, DC
10. Miami, Florida