Record Thanksgiving Travel Expected: AAA Forecasts High Numbers, Mostly Driving

Thanksgiving Travel Forecast

• 🦃 AAA is forecasting a record-setting holiday period for Thanksgiving travel between today and Monday.
• 📈 The association projects almost 82 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home, surpassing last year's record.
• ✈️ The FAA anticipates that today will see the highest number of flights during this holiday period.

Dominance of Driving

• 🚗 Approximately 90% of travelers are expected to drive, significantly outnumbering other modes of transportation.
• ✈️ About 6 million people are predicted to fly, with fewer than half that number opting for other transportation methods.

Potential Travel Disruptions

• ⚠️ Thanksgiving and Christmas weeks typically experience higher disruption rates for air travel.
• 🛑 An air traffic control frequency issue caused a ground stop in Dallas yesterday.
• ⛽ A pipeline leak near Seattle is limiting jet fuel supplies, causing rerouted and delayed flights, with one traveler experiencing an extra 6 hours of flight time.

Traveler Behavior and Advice

• 👖 The Transportation Secretary suggests passengers consider dressing nicer for flights, advising against wearing slippers and pajamas to the airport.
• 🚗 Projections on the number of drivers disagree, with Gas Buddy forecasting a decline due to economic concerns, while AAA projects an increase.
• ✈️ AAA suggests that worries about flight disruptions might lead some people who bought plane tickets to switch to driving instead.