NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away, and if you’re thinking about hitting the road for the holiday, heads up! Travel numbers are bouncing back.

According to a recent study from AAA, in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic began, 56 million people traveled over Thanksgiving. That number dropped to 47.1 million in 2020 after the pandemic started. AAA is predicting 53.4 million people will leave home for the holidays in 2021 – an 8% increase from last year!

Of those 53.4 million people, 48.3 million are expected to be driving. That’s a lot of people on the roads! Make sure you’re prepared for more traffic to contend with than last year!

If you’re really looking to plan ahead, a study by the American Hotel & Lodging Association shows 1 in 3 Americans is planning to hit the road for Christmas.