Travel for Thanksgiving 2023: A Positive Outlook
“The Golden Age of Travel begins with all of us,” said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy as the Thanksgiving travel season approaches, highlighting the benefit of low gas prices. “Now is a great time to visit family and friends for Thanksgiving. With gas prices at record lows, we can all feel thankful for a more affordable holiday season,” he noted in an X post, echoing comments from White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt who shared similar insights during a recent press conference.
Leavitt emphasized, “President Trump’s policies are making Thanksgiving more budget-friendly for Americans this year, covering everything from commutes to dinner,” while pointing to the decline in gas prices. She mentioned that nearly 100 million Americans are expected to travel by car for the holidays next week. “Thanks to President Trump’s Drill Baby Drill policy, the national average for a gallon of gasoline this Thanksgiving is projected to be the lowest since the pandemic peak in 2021,” she added.
It’s worth noting that on June 14, 2022—during former President Joe Biden’s administration—gas prices hit an average of $5.016 per gallon for regular unleaded. As of now, the national average sits at $3.069.
“The cost of preparing a Thanksgiving dinner this year is also down about 5% from last year,” Leavitt remarked, referencing findings from an annual survey by the American Federation of Agriculture Secretariat.
She also pointed out, “The average price for a 16-pound frozen turkey has decreased by over 16% since last year, which means significant savings for families.” Leavitt concluded by saying that President Trump’s economic agenda aims to put more money back in the pockets of diligent Americans.
In another update, Duffy highlighted that an estimated 82 million people across the U.S. are expected to travel—via cars, planes, trains, or buses—for Thanksgiving. “Tomorrow will be our busiest travel day with 52,000 flights. Be sure to arrive at the airport early, thank your flight attendants, and remember to dress respectfully! The golden age of travel begins with all of us,” Duffy said.
Interestingly, AAA predicts that 82 million individuals will travel this Thanksgiving, an increase from last year’s forecast of 79.9 million, which culminated in around 80.2 million travelers.
