SYRACUSE -- If you're traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday next week, you're not alone. More people are expected to travel for Thanksgiving compared to last year.
AAA predicts 43.6 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, an increase of 0.7 percent over last year.
90-percent of travelers, or 39.1 million people, are expected to travel by car, an increase from last year. But fewer people, 314 million, plan to fly. AAA predicts people will travel shorter distances due in part to fewer fliers and more people trying to save money.
Median spending expected to drop 10 percent to $498, compared to $554 last year. "Thanksgiving travel hit a decade low in 2008 when only 37.8 million Americans traveled," said Tony Spada, President and CEO of AAA Western and Central New York. "Since that year we have seen a steady increase in the number of travelers taking to the roads and skies for the holiday. Americans continue to find ways to economize their budgets so they can gather with family for the holidays."
It's unclear what impact Superstorm Sandy will have on travel plans this year.
AAA says the national average for gasoline has declined by nearly 40 cents a gallon since early October and should continue to drop through the end of the year. Currently, the national average price for unleaded gas is $3.44 a gallon, about 2 cents more than a year ago. Drivers statewide are paying an average of $3.99 per gallon. The average price for a gallon of regular is $3.80 in the Syracuse area.
