Are you traveling for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday weekend? You're not alone. AAA expects more Americans to travel this year. AAA predicts 42.2 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home, an increase of 11.4 percent from last year. In 2009. 37.9 million people traveled over the Thanksgiving holiday.
"While Americans remain cautious with household budgets and discretionary spending, many are in a better financial position this Thanksgiving than a year ago," said Tom Chestnut, President/CEO of AAA Western and Central New York. "That improvement, along with a strong desire to spend time with friends and family, is expected to propel a significant increase in Thanksgiving travel."
The majority of people are expected to travel by car this year. AAA expects 94 percent of travelers, or 39.7 million people, to drive to their destination. That's an increase of 12 percent from last year when 35.5 million people traveled by car over Thanksgiving.
The anticipated increase in car travelers comes despite higher gas prices than last year. The current national average for a gallon of regular unleaded gas is $2.89 a gallon. That's about 26 cents higher than a year ago. Here in New York, it's even higher, with an average of $3.10. In Syracuse and Central New York, drivers are paying about $3.06 a gallon.
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More people are expected to fly the friendly skies this year as well. In fact, air travel is expected to account for 4 percent of all travel with 1.62 million holiday flyers. That's an increase of 3.5 percent from last year's 1.57 million flyers. Two percent of travelers will us other modes of transportation, including rail, bus and watercraft.
People are expected to spend about the same as last year, approximately $495 a person to get to their destination.
It's costing us more to fly this year. Airfares are expected to be about 4 percent higher than last year, with the average lowest round-trip rate of $176.
Once you get to your destination, it may actually be cheaper though to rent a car. AAA expects weekend daily car rental rates to decrease 4percent to around $42.
