AAA Forecasts Large Number Of People Traveling During Thanksgiving Holiday

It’s the most since 2005.

 

Towson, Md (KM) It’s expected to be a little crowded on the roads and airways during the Thanksgiving period. AAA Mid-Atlantic projects 1.15-million Marylanders will be traveling 50-miles or more from home during the Holiday weekend. That’s a 2.2% increase compared to last year. A majority of those travelers–more than 1-million–will be heading out by car. The auto club says that’s as 2.1% increase compared to 2018.

“We’re seeing that consumer spending is remaining strong. Increasing wages are prevalent right now. And that many more Americans have a little more disposable income, and that they’re doing well with their household wealth,:” says Ragina Ali with AAA Mid-Atlantic.

Nationally, AAA forecasts more than 55-million Americans will travel. 50-miles or more from home during the Thanksgiving Holiday, which is a 2.9% increase over last year.

Most of those travelers will be heading out by car. In Maryland 1,042,500 residents will be driving to their destinations, which is a 2.1% jump from last year. Nationally, AAA projects 49.3-million Americans will be going by automobile, a 2.8% increase over 2018.

Ali says anyone whose traveling by car should make sure their vehicle is road ready. “Unfortunately, AAA expects to come to the aid nationally about 368,000 motorists over this Thanksgiving period, usually for dead batteries, flat tires, things of that nature, ” she says.

If you’re heading out by air, Ali says get to the airport early so that you can check in and go through security without any problems.

AAA predicts 4.4-million Americans will travel by air during the  this holiday  weekend, a 4.6% increase over 2018. Out of that, 84,800 Marylanders will be flying to their holiday destinations, a 3.5% jump over last year. Ali suggests these travelers check in at the airport a little early so that they can get through security without any problems.

She also says it’s expected to be “chaotic” on Wednesday, November 27th, the day before Thanksgiving, so it’s best to begin your journey before that time. “If you have the option to leave on Monday on Tuesday, or even over this coming weekend, that certainly will be a great idea because we know that by Wednesday, the traffic volume will be particularly high,” she says.

 

By Kevin McManus