By Soo KimShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberOrlando in Florida is the top destination in the United States for Thanksgiving travel, while the French capital, Paris, ranked first among the most-popular places to visit abroad over the holiday.
The listing of top holiday spots, which are based on AAA booking data for the Thanksgiving travel period, shows Florida as the most-popular domestic destination, thanks to its theme parks and cruise ports. The other Florida cities in the U.S. ranking include Fort Lauderdale (ranked second), Miami (third place), and Tampa (fifth place), while Anaheim/Los Angeles in California ranked fourth.
The five other cities rounding out the top 10 domestic destinations for Thanksgiving travel include New York City (sixth place), San Francisco in California (seventh place), Honolulu in Hawaii (eighth place), Las Vegas in Nevada (ninth place) and Atlanta in Georgia (10th place).
The international ranking features a mix of popular European cities, as well as the Caribbean and Australia, which are known for the warm spring weather around this time of the year.
Other European capitals in the listing include Amsterdam in the Netherlands (ranked second), Vienna in Austria (ranked third), as well as Budapest in Hungary (ranked ninth), while Basel in Switzerland ranked sixth and Barcelona in Spain came in eighth place.
Cancun in Mexico ranked third, followed by Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic in fourth place. Further afield, Sydney in Australia ranked seventh, while Oranjestad in Aruba rounded out the global listing in 10th place.
According to the latest forecast from the AAA, nearly 82 million people are expected to travel over the Thanksgiving holiday period from November 25 to December 1.
The AAA said: "This year’s domestic travel forecast includes an additional 1.6 million travelers compared to last Thanksgiving, setting a new overall record."
Six million U.S. travelers are projected to take domestic flights over the Thanksgiving period, while at least 73 million people are poised to travel by car.
Cruising is also seeing continued growth. The AAA projects 20.7 million U.S. travelers will take ocean cruises this year, with the forecast for next year being even higher at 21.7 million.
"Cruise vacations are appealing during Thanksgiving, especially to the Caribbean, because the weather is mild, the trip is paid in advance, and families can bring grandparents and kids, and everyone is entertained," the AAA said.
...Top US Destinations for Thanksgiving Travel
- Orlando, Florida
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Miami, Florida
- Anaheim/Los Angeles, California
- Tampa, Florida
- New York, New York
- San Francisco, California
- Honolulu, Hawaii
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Atlanta, Georgia
Top International Destinations for Thanksgiving Travel
- Paris, France
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Vienna, Austria
- Cancun, Mexico
- Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
- Basel, Switzerland
- Sydney, Australia
- Barcelona, Spain
- Budapest, Hungary
- Oranjestad, Aruba
Source: Based on AAA booking data for the 2025 Thanksgiving travel period from November 25 to December 1.
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