Ahead of Thanksgiving travels, Google has compiled its annual airport and traffic trends data to help Atlantans navigate one of the busiest travel weeks of the year!

Thanksgiving day feasters are carefully planning their annual celebration of food, family and football. From determining the best time to leave for grandma’s house to last minute detours to pick up cranberry sauce  – Google Maps is their guide to a successful (and gluttonous) turkey day.

We want to be sure little stands in the way between you and the meal you've been dreaming of for month. To that end, I'm writing to share some localized data for Atlanta from Google's 2016 Thanksgiving Traffic and Travel Trends. Specifically, I've highlighted the best and worst days and times to travel in Atlanta, top-searched destinations in the region on Google Maps, and traffic information for the busiest airport in the world!

Check out the data and trends below and put them to good use! We appreciate you sharing with other audiences who might be interested in a smooth journey to wherever they're celebrating (and feasting) this year.

Traffic Tips:

Best day to travel: Sunday before Thanksgiving, but avoid traveling around 3 p.m. when traffic is at its worst. For the smoothest trip, leave around 6 a.m. when traffic is lightest.

Worst day to travel: Wednesday before Thanksgiving. If you have no choice but to leave on this day, your best bet is to do so before 5 a.m. Whatever you do, avoid traveling around 3 p.m. when traffic is extremely heavy in the Atlanta area on this day each year.

Best day to return home: Friday after Thanksgiving. Knock out your Black Friday shopping early or skip it all together to ensure the smoothest possible trip. Your best bet is to hit the road early, around 6 a.m., but you should be OK throughout the day. Traffic will be heaviest around 4 p.m.

Worst day to return home: Saturday after Thanksgiving. If you need to return home on this day, you'll experience the lightest traffic in Atlanta if you leave by 6 a.m. Avoid traveling at 4 p.m., when traffic will be extremely heavy.

Airport Travel Tips:

The Atlanta airport is always busy (busier than any other airport in the world!), but you'll need to plan for even more time during this time of the year.

To avoid the worst of wait times, book your flights before noon or after 4 p.m. and plan to arrive at least two hours before boarding.

If you're planning to get to the airport around 4 p.m., traffic and airport crowds may cause significant delays that could double your trip time. Plan accordingly!

Top 5 Trending Atlanta Destination Categories in Google Maps:

Let's finish off with some interesting information about what people in Atlanta are searching for the most on Google Maps around the Thanksgiving Holiday.

Thanksgiving Holiday period: Outlet mall, state park, amusement park, appliance store, deli

Day before Thanksgiving: Deli, amusement park, butcher shop, night club, wine store

Thanksgiving Day: Outlet mall, buffet restaurant, electronics store, appliance store, state park

Black Friday: Outlet mall, appliance store, amusement park, animal shelter, historic site