NEWS
AAA Predicts Bumper Thanksgiving Travel Period
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AAA is out with their annual Thanksgiving travel predictions and we can expect a 13 percent increase in travel over last year.
According to AAA, travel is expected to rebound to near pre-pandemic levels with an estimated 53.4 million Americans planning to travel over the Thanksgiving period.
Buckle Up: Thanksgiving Travel to Rebound Almost to Pre-Pandemic Levels https://t.co/NbAEqjoBV0 via @AAAnews
— AAA (@AAAnews) November 9, 2021
While AAA says most Americans – some 48.3 million – plan to travel by car, air travel is expected to be up 80 percent over 2020, with approximately 4.2 million planning to head to the airport.
“We’re close to pre-pandemic numbers,” AAA’s Andrew Gross told CNN. “So we’re telling people, look, you’re going to find lines at the airport. It’s just inevitable. So get there that old-fashioned at least two hours early. And if it’s an international flight, three hours early.”
If you’re planning on loading up the car and hitting the highways to get to your destination, AAA recommends avoiding driving the afternoon before Thanksgiving.
“If you leave Wednesday afternoon before Thanksgiving and you live near a big metropolitan area, you’re going to be sitting in that old-fashioned traffic again,” Gross told CNN.
“Thanksgiving is one of the busiest holidays for road trips and this year will be no different even during the pandemic,” says Bob Pishue, Transportation Analyst, INRIX. “Drivers around major metros must be prepared for significant delays, especially Wednesday afternoon. Knowing when and where congestion will build can help drivers avoid the stress of sitting in traffic.”
