Cheap ride home for Thanksgiving: a college student's guide

Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel weeks of the year, and holiday flights and last-minute rideshares get expensive fast. Planning early and sharing the drive changes the math.

Post two to three weeks early

Drivers heading home for the holiday plan ahead. Posting your Quest early — campus, hometown, and the day your last class ends — gives drivers time to bid and gives you the widest choice of prices.

Leave on a quieter day

Tuesday night or early Wednesday is the crunch. If your schedule allows, leaving a day earlier or returning Monday morning usually means more drivers and calmer roads.

Split the trip into relay legs

Longer trips can be broken into shorter relay legs of roughly 150 miles, each run by a different driver. You pay for short hops instead of one long, expensive fare.

Book the ride back at the same time

Sunday after Thanksgiving is just as busy as the trip home. Post both directions together so you're not scrambling on Saturday night.