That’s a three-percent increase compared to 2022.
Baltimore, Md (KM) The highways and the airways are expected to be crowded over the next few days. AAA Mid-Atlantic is forecasting 1.1 million Marylanders will be traveling 50 miles or more from home during the upcoming Thanksgiving Day Holiday Weekend. That’s three percent increased compared to 2022.
“As is typical for most holiday travel in our area, the majority of travelers will be driving to their holiday destinations. So we’re anticipating that about 964,000 Maryland residents will driving this upcoming holiday,” says Ragina Ali, Public and Government Affairs Manager for AAA Mid-Atlantic. That’s about 90 percent.
As if Sunday, AAA says the average national price for a gallon of gasoline is $3.28 cents, down by ten cents from last week. and a drop of 38 cents per gallon compared to 2022.
The auto club says 77,890 residents will be going by air to their holiday destinations, which is an increase of four percent from last year.
Even though there are increases in the number of Marylanders traveling this holiday weekend, it’s still down compared to 2019, the last year before the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are still at least in Maryland still well below those numbers, anywhere between an eight percent difference. And we look at other modes and air even greater percentage differences,” say Ali.
AAA says the number of motorists heading out by car this year for Thanksgiving is down by more than eight percent compared to 2019. For those going by air, the number is down by ten percent compared to the last year before the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the other modes of travel, AAA says more than 18,600 Marylanders will travel by bus, rail or cruise during the Thanksgiving Day Holiday. That’s a jump of 14 percent over last year, but down by 14 compared to 2019.
“No matter which mode you’re planning to take, the best thing to do is give yourself ample time, and be prepared,” says Ali.
Nationally, AAA says more than 55 million Americans will be traveling 50 miles or more from home during the Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend. That’s a 2.3 percent increase over 2022, but one percent less compared to 2019.
By Kevin McManus