Planning to travel this Thanksgiving holiday? You’ll want to think ahead.
This year is expected to be the third busiest Thanksgiving travel season since AAA began tracking the November holiday travel in 2000, the motor club said last week.
AAA predicts that 54.6 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home, nearing pre-pandemic levels. The motor club considers the holiday travel period Wednesday, Nov. 23, to Sunday, Nov. 27.
Most people will be driving − close to 50 million, to be exact. But another 4.5 million will be flying, despite airline schedules still being reduced by about 20%, according to AAA.
This means that not only will the roads be congested, but so too will airports. Mary Maguire, vice president of public and government affairs at AAA northeast, said TSA lines will be long and suggested not checking a bag to avoid issues if a flight is delayed or canceled.
Air travel is expected to be up nearly 8% from last year.
While driving and flying are the two most common modes of transport, nearly 1.5 million Americans will be taking the bus, train and even cruise ships, up 23% from 2021.
“With travel restrictions lifted and more people comfortable taking public transportation again, it’s no surprise buses, trains, and cruises are coming back in a big way,” Maguire said.
What to do if you’re driving
It comes as no surprise that metro areas are expected to see the busiest roads.
Highways in and around Atlanta, Chicago, New York City and Los Angeles will be the busiest, though Boston and Washington, D.C., will also see heavy traffic.
New York City is expected to see a 158% increase in traffic over typical, already-high levels, while Washington is expected to see an 85% increase. I-95 will be the most congested, AAA predicts.
Philadelphia is not listed as a peak metro area, though it has been in previous years.
To avoid some of the worst jams, AAA recommends traveling early Wednesday morning or before 11 a.m. on Thanksgiving. The worst times to travel will be between 4 and 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
What does the weather look like?
Potential wintery weather may also contribute to delays in Thanksgiving travel.
While it remains too early to tell, a storm may develop in the Carolinas late this week, which may then move east of the Delmarva Peninsula, potentially bringing chilly rain to Delaware and the Philadelphia area. It’s unlikely the region would see snow, though the far Northeast could get some.
Still, the forecast remains up in the air.
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