Thanksgiving holiday travel expected to soar in Southern California
Auto Club of Southern California officials project 6.78 million residents will travel 50 miles or more from home during the Thanksgiving holiday travel period.
If the prediction holds, it will mark a 2.8% increase over last year, setting a new record for this holiday.
Auto Club of Southern California officials project 6.78 million residents will travel 50 miles or more from home during the 2025 Thanksgiving holiday travel period.
The 2025 Thanksgiving travel forecast is 6.9% higher than pre-pandemic levels in 2019, the auto club stated.
Nationally, the auto club expects 81.8 million Americans to travel for Thanksgiving—also the busiest on record—with 1.6 million more travelers than last year.
The Thanksgiving travel period runs from Tuesday, Nov. 25 to Monday, Dec. 1, the auto club stated.
“Thanksgiving travel has always been popular, but has grown into an even greater priority in recent years after the pandemic limited those opportunities to connect with family and friends,” said auto club spokesperson Doug Shupe. “Southern Californians go the distance to spend time with family and friends. This holiday is one of the busiest—and most meaningful—times to travel each year.”
Top Thanksgiving destinations
Southern Californians will be heading to popular local destinations such as San Diego, Las Vegas, Disneyland, the Bay Area and nearby national parks, according to the auto club.
Travel by car and air
Nearly 90% of travelers will drive: A projected 73 million Americans, including 5.88 million Southern Californians, will travel by car.
Six million Americans, including 704,000 Southern Californians, are expected to fly—a 2.9% increase locally over 2024.
The auto club suggests travelers arriving at least two hours early for domestic flights and three hours for international departures. Reserve parking, check in online, and download your airline’s app to avoid delays.
Gas Prices
Unlike much of the rest of the country, Southern California drivers are paying some of the highest gas prices of the year, although prices have been dropping slightly in recent days.
The statewide average price is $4.66 a gallon for regular unleaded, and $4.60 in San Bernardino County.
GasBuddy forecasts a national average price of gas of $3.02 per gallon on Thanksgiving Day, matching last year and marking one of the cheapest holiday averages since 2021.
Auto Club of Southern California officials project 6.78 million residents will travel 50 miles or more from home during the 2025 Thanksgiving holiday travel period.
Economic uncertainty
GasBuddy’s 2025 Thanksgiving Travel Survey shows that 60% of Americans plan to take a road trip, a sharp decrease from 72% last year.
Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said gas prices are cooperating this Thanksgiving, but it's not translating into more travelers.
“Drivers have grown more resilient to price swings, yet I worry that concerns about a cooling economy may be weighing on Americans’ willingness to travel," De Haan said. “Even with affordable gas, economic uncertainty can make people stay closer to home.”
Stacey Cooper of Victorville told the Daily Press that “job cutbacks” and higher “utility, food, and medical costs” will mean a decrease in travel over the holidays for her family.
“Our household is averaging about $400 less a month in income and paying about $175 more a month in other costs,” Cooper said. “Having less and paying more means cutting back on a lot of things, including little trips.”
According to the GasBuddy survey, 74% say gas prices have no effect on their Thanksgiving travel plans, up from roughly 56% last year.
Among those traveling, patterns remain familiar, with 56% crossing at least one state line, and 66% expected to drive more than 100 miles.
Most plan to leave early to mid-morning on Wednesday, Nov. 26.
Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X @DP_ReneDeLaCruz
