Sunday, October 6, 2024

Hitting the road on Thanksgiving? You might want to rethink that

(WYDaily file/Courtesy of Pixabay)
(WYDaily file/Courtesy of Pixabay)

This Thanksgiving, travelers might find themselves in even more congested areas than ever before as AAA predicts the most popular travel season in 15 years.

According to AAA, there will be 55 million travelers across the nation and 1.5 million in Virginia. This is the second-highest travel volume since AAA began collecting data in 2000.

In total, there will be an additional 1.6 million more people traveling this year compared to last year. Most of the traveling will be done on the roads with Wednesday afternoon being the worst time to travel. Trips are expected to take as much as four times longer than normal in major metropolitan areas.

In Virginia, there will be a 2.9 percent increase in travel for the holidays, with 1.36 million of those travelers expected to go by car.

“Millions of thankful Americans are starting the holiday season off right with a Thanksgiving getaway,” said Georjeane Blumling, vice president, AAA Tidewater. “Strong economic fundamentals are motivating Americans to venture out this holiday in near-record numbers. Consumer spending remains strong, thanks to increasing wages, disposable income and household wealth, and travel remains one of their top priorities for the holiday season.”

Across the nation, there will be 49.3 million drivers on the road and a 4.6 percent increase in plane travel since last year.

For those still needing to book their flights, AAA recommends that flying the Monday before the Thanksgiving rush is the best option. An analysis of the past three years’ data showed the lowest average ticket price prior to the holiday was on Monday at $486 and is the lightest travel day of the week.

People can also save money by traveling on Thanksgiving Day, which has the week’s lowest priced tickets at an average of $454.

Travel by other forms of transportation, such as trains and buses, will reach 1.49 million, which is only a 1.4 percent increase from 2018.

During this travel time, AAA expects gas prices to remain cheaper than the national average in Virginia. For most Americans, AAA said gas prices are predicted to be similar to prices in 2018, where it was $2.57 a gallon.

Additionally, this time will also most likely see more than 7,600 motorists across Virginia call for AAA assistance.

Alexa Doiron
Alexa Doironhttp://wydaily.com
Alexa Doiron is a multimedia reporter for WYDaily. She graduated from Roanoke College and is currently working on a master’s degree in English at Virginia Commonwealth University. Alexa was born and raised in Williamsburg and enjoys writing stories about local flair. She began her career in journalism at the Warhill High School newspaper and, eight years later, still loves it. After working as a news editor in Blacksburg, Va., Alexa missed Williamsburg and decided to come back home. In her free time, she enjoys reading Jane Austen and playing with her puppy, Poe. Alexa can be reached at alexa@localvoicemedia.com.

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