When is the best and worst time to drive during Thanksgiving?

Nearly 55 million Americans are expected to travel during the Thanksgiving holiday this year, according to the forecast from AAA.

Data from the travel group showed this year’s number is up 1.5% from 2021 and getting close to levels seen before the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to AAA, this year is forecast to be the third-busiest year since the agency started tracking Thanksgiving travel in 2000. Most travelers will opt to drive to their destinations, with nearly 49 million people forecast to hit the road.

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Data shared by AAA from INRIX, a transportation analytics company, showed that some drivers will experience more than double normal delay times during the holiday.

"Thanksgiving is one of the busiest holidays for road trips, and this year will be no different," said Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX. "Although travel times will peak on Wednesday afternoon nationally, travelers should expect much heavier than normal congestion throughout the holiday weekend. Knowing when and where congestion will build can help drivers avoid the stress of sitting in traffic."

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According to INRIX, there are times of the day that are better to travel by car than others during the holiday period. Here’s a breakdown of when drivers will have the best luck beating the road rush.

Highways in and around Atlanta, Chicago, New York and Los Angeles will be the busiest, according to INRIX.

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