Looking to save money on rideshares this Thanksgiving? Don’t travel on Thanksgiving Day. That’s what Obi’s exclusive rideshare data reveals in a new study. Thanksgiving Day is not the cheap travel day we all thought it was. In fact, for rideshares, it’s the most expensive day of the week.
Obi’s Thanksgiving research focused on 39.3 million rideshare searches across 32 major US airports over four years (2022-2025). See below for exclusive insights and try our interactive airport chart to see how your ride prices have changed.
Don’t Believe The Hype – Thanksgiving Day Isn’t Necessarily Cheaper
Many travelers are looking to save money and avoid the crowds by flying for the Thanksgiving holiday on the morning of Thanksgiving itself. But by doing so, you may end up paying far more to even get to the airport. The cost of a rideshare service to or from an airport can spike by nearly 20% on that Thursday, potentially canceling out the savings from a cheaper flight.
The Cost of My Airport Ride
Obi’s Thanksgiving data highlights many airports saw a significant cost increase. New York’s JFK remains the most expensive with data showing prices climbed 20% year on year. LAX prices increased 20%, San Francisco, by 10%. But it’s not all doom and gloom for your wallet, with some airports showing reductions in rideshare prices. There was a 35% reduction in Orlando ride prices for example.
Try our interactive chart below to see how your local airport ride costs have changed.
How does your home airport stack up? Select an airport from the dropdown to see how average rideshare prices during Thanksgiving week (purple) compare to the normal 4-week baseline (dark blue) from 2022 to 2024. This reveals which airports experience the most dramatic holiday surge pricing.
When is the Best Day to Take a Rideshare over Thanksgiving?
Surprisingly the data suggests Wednesday and Sunday are the cheapest travel days, Thanksgiving Day itself is the most expensive.
The Wednesday before Thanksgiving and Sunday after are typically thought of as the most hectic travel days – but rideshare pricing to and from airports doesn’t usually spike above non-holiday baselines, unless weather is particularly bad in a given area. While there may be long lines at airport security and lots of traffic, rideshare prices do not live up to the hype and are significantly cheaper than on Thanksgiving Day itself.
The chart below represents data from 2024 and 2023 respectively and shows consistent peaks on Thanksgiving vs days before or after. So if you think you’re saving money on that cheap Thanksgiving Day early flight home, you may want to factor in the added cost of your ride to the airport.
“People often assume that flying on Thanksgiving morning is a surefire way to save money, but our data shows there’s a hidden tradeoff that many travelers don’t see coming,” said Ashwini Anburajan, CEO of Obi. “When airport rideshare prices surge by this much on the holiday itself due to factors like lower driver volume, those savings from cheaper flights can disappear quickly. That’s why price transparency matters. With Obi, travelers can understand the true door-to-door cost of their journey and make decisions that genuinely save them money.”
There’s No Black Friday Sale For Rideshares
Black Friday also sees a price jump, thanks to the combination of travelers making a quick exit from Thanksgiving and shoppers chasing in-store deals. But at a 4% increase vs 2024 week average, it’s nothing like the surge on Thanksgiving itself, which was up 10% on 2024 week averages.
Cost Per Mile Increases
Obi data also examined cost per mile changes across the USA’s top airports. Analysis from 2023-2024 highlighted every airport showed cost per mile year-on-year increases, despite some airports showing overall average ride price decreases, as highlighted above. This could be due to average shorter rides, increased use of mass transit or using alternative / cheaper ride types.
How Obi Can Help This Thanksgiving
With Obi’s app, consumers can easily see the real-time pricing of multiple rideshare services, helping them avoid the sticker shock that often accompanies holiday travel chaos. As Thanksgiving week can bring price spikes, especially on rides to and from airports and other major transportation hubs, Obi empowers riders to make informed choices in the moment. By displaying price differences across providers, showing when costs are surging, and highlighting more affordable alternatives nearby, the app enables travelers to save money without sacrificing convenience during one of the busiest travel weeks of the year.
“Ultimately, consumers make decisions based on price, especially during high-demand weeks like Thanksgiving,” said Anburajan. “We’re proud to be the platform that gives riders true transparency into what their trip will cost across every major rideshare service. Whether prices are spiking or deals are available nearby, Obi makes it easy for people to compare options and choose the ride that works best for their budget.”
Obi’s industry-leading reports on price comparisons, wait times, and consumer sentiments around rideshares in their areas have led to deep insights about how people are getting around in today’s age. An exclusive Obi report earlier this year that detailed self-driving car brand Waymo’s entry into the San Francisco market has been cited in The New York Times, Axios, TechCrunch, and more.
View more Obi data reports here.
For all press and media inquiries please contact Caroline McCarthy at caroline@rideobi.com
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