NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — If you’re traveling this holiday season, you better start planning fast.
Airports, roads and rail lines may be jam-packed this year, according to AAA, which predicts 53.4 million people will be traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday.
“On the day before the holiday, Wednesday, there will be upwards of 400% more traffic on the eastbound LIE,” said Robert Sinclair Jr, a manager at AAA Northeast.
Overall, holiday traffic across the United States is expected to increase by 13% from 2020 – bringing travel volumes to within 5% of pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
“This Thanksgiving, travel will look a lot different than last year,” said Paula Twidale, senior vice president for AAA Travel. “Now that the borders are open and new health and safety guidelines are in place, travel is once again high on the list for Americans who are ready to reunite with their loved ones for the holiday.”
While many people will be hitting the roads on Wednesday, Sinclair said it may actually be better to wait a bit before getting in the car.
“Rather than try and fight traffic after getting off work and heading out for your holiday immediately, go home get a good night's rest to wake up early on Thanksgiving Day itself, very early, and hit the road,” Sinclair said. “Traffic will be incredibly light, even if your destination is 100 miles ahead.”
And while gas prices are about a dollar more per gallon than this time last year, AAA predicts 90% of people plan to travel by car as their preferred mode of transportation.
Sinclair said that the increase in gas costs will likely not deter those travelers from getting to their destination.
“I don’t think gasoline prices are going to be a significant hurdle for those that really want to take a trip,” he said. “They'll just bite the bullet and, in some way, shape or form, maybe cut back in some other part of the trip in order to be able to afford gasoline.”
When it comes to staying safe against COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recently released its recommendations for holiday gatherings and related travel, saying that the best way to minimize COVID-19 risk is to get vaccinated if you’re eligible.
Related
