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Air travel is closing in on pre-pandemic levels.

What to watch: The total number of people traveling for Thanksgiving this year — by car, bus, train or plane — could reach 53 million, according to AAA, or 95% of 2019 levels.

Charted: The return of holiday travel

Air travel

<p>Air travel is closing in on pre-pandemic levels.</p><ul><li><strong>What to watch:</strong> The total number of people traveling for Thanksgiving this year — by car, bus, train or plane — could reach 53 million, according to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="AAA" data-vars-click-url="https://link.axios.com/click/25822416.135149/aHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdzcm9vbS5hYWEuY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvYnVja2xlLXVwLWFhYS1wcmVkaWN0cy10aGFua3NnaXZpbmctdHJhdmVsLXRvLXJlYm91bmQtYWxtb3N0LXRvLXByZS1wYW5kZW1pYy1sZXZlbHMvP3V0bV9zb3VyY2U9bmV3c2xldHRlciZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9jYW1wYWlnbj1uZXdzbGV0dGVyX2F4aW9zY2xvc2VyJnN0cmVhbT10b3A/6047896a8246974e431c2738Bfba1942e" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://link.axios.com/click/25822416.135149/aHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdzcm9vbS5hYWEuY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvYnVja2xlLXVwLWFhYS1wcmVkaWN0cy10aGFua3NnaXZpbmctdHJhdmVsLXRvLXJlYm91bmQtYWxtb3N0LXRvLXByZS1wYW5kZW1pYy1sZXZlbHMvP3V0bV9zb3VyY2U9bmV3c2xldHRlciZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9jYW1wYWlnbj1uZXdzbGV0dGVyX2F4aW9zY2xvc2VyJnN0cmVhbT10b3A/6047896a8246974e431c2738Bfba1942e" target="_blank">AAA</a>, or 95% of 2019 levels.</li></ul>

After a record economic expansion, the coronavirus pandemic sent the U.S. economy into a recession as unemployment soared to staggering heights. The country now faces urgent questions about how much stimulus is needed for reeling consumers and businesses, and what a recovery might look like.

Charted: The return of holiday travel

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