Here are some numbers that will complicate your driving life if you're on the road next week and the week after:
- 81.8 million people will travel at least 50 miles to celebrate Thanksgiving, 1.6 million more than last year
- 73 million of those people will travel by car, 1.3 million more than last year, setting a new record
Those are the key takeaways from AAA's forecast for Americans' travel from Tuesday, Nov. 25 to Monday, Dec. 1. That means Thanksgiving is the single busiest holiday for travel compared to others like Memorial Day and July 4, according to AAA.
The number of people traveling by car could end up being even higher if some of th 6 million projected air travelers decide to drive instead of fly following recent flight cancellations.
Additionally, AAA said drivers are paying about the same as last year, when the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline was $3.06 on Thanksgiving Day.
“Thanksgiving travel numbers are always impressive because this holiday has become synonymous with heading out of town to spend time with loved ones,” said Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel. “People are willing to brave the crowds and make last-minute adjustments to their plans to make lifelong memories, whether it’s visiting extended family or meeting up with friends.”
Be especially aware of increased travel throughout the Southeast. Florida is the top holiday destination based on AAA booking data for the Thanksgiving travel period. That's thanks to the state's theme parks and cruise ports.
