AAA estimates that 38.4 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more away from home over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, a 1.4 percent increase compared to last year.
But while auto travel is likely to increase, air travel is down for the holiday weekend.
"Although far too many Americans remain unemployed or under other financial stress, AAA's projected increase in Thanksgiving travel is another hopeful sign that economic conditions are stabilizing and improving in some areas," said Ela Voluck, public affairs specialist for
AAA Mid-Atlantic.
AAA predicts:
- 33.2 million of holiday travelers plan to go by car, an increase of 2.1 percent
- The number of air travelers is expected to be 2.3 million, a decline of 6.7 percent
- The number of those traveling by "other" means, including,
trains, watercraft, buses and multiple-modes of transportation, is
expected to be 2.9 million, an increase of 1.2 percent
Last year, Thanksgiving travel dropped a precipitous 25.2 percent in the wake of the ongoing housing and financial crisis.
"This year's expected increase in travel reflects improved consumer confidence from one year ago, better financial market performance and a growing sense among many consumers that the worst of the global economic crisis is behind us," Voluck said.
