The holidays have finally arrived in Arizona.

With them, however, comes extensive travel, starting the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and wrapping up a little after the New Year's Day. With close to 2 million Arizonans flying or driving for this initial holiday weekend, AAA has offered a set of tips to help make the journey a little bet less stressful.

What can travelers in the Valley expect to see on the roads or in the airport this Thanksgiving? Here’s your guide.

1.65 million Arizonans will travel for Thanksgiving

This year, Thanksgiving falls on Nov. 28, and AAA projects about 79.9 million travelers will head out 50 miles or more from their homes to celebrate Thanksgiving across the country — 1.7 million more than last year.

In Arizona, AAA expects 1.65 million Arizonans to leave their homes for the holiday weekend, an increase from last year’s 1.12 million expected travelers, according to AAA Arizona spokesperson Julian Paredes. This year’s forecast data also included Monday and Tuesday as travel days, to accommodate for remote workers starting their travels early, he added.

Paredes said the increase in travel could be because of cheaper gas prices, but also mentioned the rise in demand for international flights. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport added a direct flight to Paris earlier this year and announced recently that Aeromexico would be returning to the airport after 10 years of no service.

Tips for flying out of Sky Harbor

At the airport, flyers were advised to arrive two hours early before domestic flights, and three hours for international flights, according to Eric Everts, public information officer at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. To avoid congestion at gates, he suggested picking travelers up at the cell phone lots, where cars are allowed to park and wait for flyers to arrive.

Anyone renting a car, parking at the airport or checking a bag was also advised to arrive early. Phoenix, among Los Angeles and Las Vegas, is one of the cities displaying a high demand in rental cars, according to AAA. The busiest day to pick up a car is Wednesday, and the busiest days to return a car are Monday and Tuesday following the holiday weekend.

Everts added that travelers can also save time at security by using PHX Reserve to schedule a time to go through TSA.

Outside of travel tips, Everts encouraged travelers to keep an open mind when something may go wrong. “We always encourage passengers just to be mindful that it's going to be busy and to give themselves extra time with whatever they need to do,” he said.

Tips for traveling on Arizona roads

On the roads, AAA expects about 1.4 million Arizonans to drive to their destinations.

He also advised drivers to drive defensively.

“It makes no sense to speed, tailgate or make unsafe passing moves,” Nintzel said. “Be patient and avoid distractions involving cellphones or other in-vehicle systems. Fatal and other serious crashes can be avoided if more people stay alert, buckle up and keep speeds in check.”

Drivers shouldn’t expect road work, either. Nintzel said the agency wants to keep traffic moving.

“ADOT and our contractors will not schedule any construction or maintenance closures along state highways from Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 27, to Monday morning, Dec. 2,” he said.

Prior to hitting the road, drivers should be sure to check their tires, oil level and windshield wipers in case of inclement weather. Keeping a toolbox and an emergency kit available is important.

For real-time updates on the roads, check ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov, the AZ511 app or on ADOT’s X account, formerly Twitter.