American Thanksgiving tourists are expected to reach a new high this year, benefiting airlines such as American Airlines Group Inc.

The American Automobile Association (AAA) said on Monday that it expects Americans to set a new record for Thanksgiving travel, with nearly 80 million travelers expected to travel by plane and cruise during the holiday period. Compared to the same period in 2023, the number of travelers from November 26 (Tuesday) to December 2 (Monday) this year will increase by about 1.7 million. Despite personnel and aircraft shortages limiting the ability of the aviation industry to increase capacity during the holiday period in recent years, it is expected that the number of Americans flying to their destinations this year will reach a record high. American Airlines Group Inc. (AAL.US) plans to transport 8.3 million passengers between November 21 and December 3, an increase of about 500,000 passengers from last year. Delta Air Lines, Inc. (DAL.US) said it expects to reach a record 6.5 million passengers within 12 days, a 5% increase year-on-year. Both Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV.US) and American Airlines Group Inc. said their passenger volumes will peak on Sunday, December 1, as more travelers plan to return immediately after the holidays rather than extending their trip. United Airlines said that passenger volume on the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday after Thanksgiving increased by 20% over 2023, while demand remained steady on Monday and Tuesday. The airline expects a record 6.2 million passengers over 13 days. Data from the travel booking app Hopper shows that travelers are spending more on domestic travel this year, with the average price of domestic flights in the US rising by 9% to $273 by the end of October compared to last year. However, the company says holiday airfare prices are still lower than in 2022 and pre-pandemic levels. The American Automobile Association predicts a record 71.7 million people will take road trips nationwide, an increase of 1.3 million from last year. The decrease in gas prices may help bring the national average gas price below $3 per gallon for the first time since 2021. According to the American Automobile Association, nearly 2.3 million people are expected to travel by public transportation and other modes of transportation, a 9% increase from 2023 and an 18% increase from 2019. This is largely due to the increasing popularity of cruises, with domestic and international cruise bookings increasing by 20% compared to last Thanksgiving. A spokesperson for railway operator Amtrak said that the company transported over 1 million customers from November 18 to November 26 in 2023, and expects to surpass that number this year.