Millions of New Yorkers are preparing for what is expected to be the busiest Thanksgiving travel period on record, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

The agency is estimating 8.7 million travelers will pass through its airports and vehicle crossings between Monday, Nov. 25 and Monday, Dec. 2, up from their 8.5 million estimate last year.

What You Need To Know

  • Port Authority is estimating 8.7 million travelers will pass through its airports and vehicle crossings

  • Nationwide, AAA estimates 79.9 million people will travel 50 miles or more for Thanksgiving

  • Sunday, Dec. 1 is projected to be the busiest day for air travel

Port Authority expects 3.2 million people will travel through John F. Kennedy International, Newark Liberty International, LaGuardia and New York Stewart International airports, marking a 2% increase from the 2023 Thanksgiving travel period. Sunday, Dec. 1 is projected to be the busiest day for air travel.

Meanwhile, 5.5 million vehicles are expected to use the agency’s bridges and tunnels during this period.

To accommodate the rush, the Port Authority will pause ongoing repair and construction projects at its crossings from 5 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 27 to 5 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 2.

However, work on the $19 billion JFK Airport redevelopment will continue. The Port Authority says anyone traveling to the airport by car should anticipate “delays or reroutes due to detours or closures of parts of the airport roadway network.”

“Customers are strongly advised to use mass transit to and from the airport, such as MTA New York City Transit subway or buses, or MTA Long Island Rail Road — with 20-minute trains from Grand Central Terminal or Penn Station to the AirTrain JFK station at Jamaica,” the agency said.

Drivers can also use the free drop-off and pickup lot at JFK Airport’s AirTrain station at Lefferts Boulevard, according to the agency.

The agency said travelers are advised to check construction.jfkairport.com for details about construction-related travel impacts.

Nationwide, AAA estimates 79.9 million people will travel 50 miles or more for Thanksgiving, with 71.7 million driving, 5.84 million flying domestically and 2.3 million using other modes of transportation, such as buses and trains.

Citing data from INRIX, AAA suggests the best times to travel by car nationwide will be before 11 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 25; before 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 26 and Wednesday, Nov. 27; after 1 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 29; before 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 30 and Sunday, Dec. 1; and before 8 a.m. and after 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 2.

Minimal traffic is expected on Thanksgiving Day nationwide, according to AAA.

AAA says the worst times to travel before Thanksgiving will be from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 25 and Wednesday, Nov. 27; and from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 26.

The worst times to travel after the holiday will be between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 29; 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 30; 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 1; and 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 2.

AAA highlighted falling gas prices as a benefit for travelers, predicting the national average could drop below $3 per gallon for the first time since 2021, just in time for the holiday.

“Thanksgiving is the busiest holiday for travel, and this year we’re expecting to set new records across the board, from driving to flying and cruising,” Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, said in a statement.

In the New York City area, Port Authority officials are urging travelers to plan ahead to avoid long wait times. For domestic flights, the agency said passengers should arrive at least two hours early to avoid delays.