Coronavirus

Chicago Thanksgiving Travel: Best Times and Worst Times for Traffic

Worst time to be on the road for Thanksgiving travel? In the afternoon on Wednesday, Nov. 24.

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Traveling this Thanksgiving? You're joining 53 million other people doing so. And 43.8 million of those people are expected to travel by car.

That means a lot more vehicles on the road— and according to AAA, Chicago is predicted to be one of the worst corridors for holiday traffic this week, according to AAA.

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In fact, more than triple the delays are expected.

Think you'll beat traffic by hitting the road tomorrow afternoon? Make sure you've got a good playlist prepped, because you might get stuck right in it.

Best Times for Chicago Road Travel on Thanksgiving Week

  • Wednesday, Nov. 24: After 9 p.m.
  • Thursday, Nov. 25: Before 11 a.m.
  • Friday, Nov. 26: Before 11 a.m.
  • Saturday, Nov. 27: Before 12 p.m.
  • Sunday, Nov. 28: Before 12 p.m.

Worst Times for Chicago Road Travel on Thanksgiving Week

  • Wednesday, Nov. 24: 12 p.m. - 8 p.m.
  • Thursday, Nov. 25: 12 p.m. - 3 p.m.
  • Friday, Nov. 26: 1 p.m,. - 4 p.m.
  • Saturday, Nov. 27: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m.
  • Sunday, Nov. 28: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m.

AAA recommends checking COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Map for travel restrictions near you, and TripTik.AAA.com to stay up-to-date on traffic and closures in your area.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released its recommendations for holiday gatherings and related travel, saying that the best way to minimize COVID-19 risk is to get vaccinated if you’re eligible. 

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