This browser does not support the Video element.
PHILADELPHIA - There's no place like home for the holidays, but getting to your destination can be far less joyous if you don't plan ahead.
AAA estimates that more than 70M people will hit the road for Thanksgiving this year, which exceeds even pre-pandemic holiday travel.
"Americans reconnect with family and friends over Thanksgiving, and travel is a big part of that," Vice President of AAA Travel Stacey Barber said.
As Thanksgiving nears, congestion on major arteries of traffic will worsen, meaning travelers should know when the best time to hit the road will be.
When is the worst time to travel for Thanksgiving?
INRIX, a transportation data company, says the worst time to travel by car over the Thanksgiving holiday is Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon.
Perhaps worsened by rush hour and those still working, they suggest traffic will be the worst on both days between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.
On Wednesday, Thanksgiving Eve, the traffic impacts are expected to be similar in the 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. window.
When is the best time to travel for Thanksgiving?
It might not fit perfectly into your holiday plans, but travel experts say the best time to travel for Thanksgiving is on Thanksgiving.
"The best time to hit the road is Thanksgiving Day itself, when interstates and highways are typically clear," AAA says on its website.
If you plan to get to your destination a few days early, travel experts say you should leave before 10 a.m. on the days leading up to Thanksgiving.
When is the best time to return home from Thanksgiving?
If you're planning to leave your Thanksgiving destination on Black Friday, AAA says you'd better plan to leave early – like ‘sometime before 7 a.m.’ early.
It's advised that the worst travel times on Black Friday will be between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. Your best bet to avoid major congestion is to leave after 1 p.m.
Not-so-early risers might have better luck traveling on the weekend, when it's expected that the best time to hit the road is before 1 p.m.
AAA expects the worst traffic congestion on Saturday to be between the hours of 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., and on Sunday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Thanksgiving travel forecast
The good news is that despite the anticipated heavy traffic, the weather will mostly cooperate to help make your travels safe.
Forecasters say there will be scattered rain on Tuesday and another chance of spotty showers on Thursday into Friday.
Otherwise, the weather pattern should stay partly sunny with chilly temperatures in the 50s and 40s through the weekend.