If you are headed out of town for the Thanksgiving travel period, expect plenty of company and higher prices.
The AAA is out with its prediction for one of the busiest travel times of the year, and the travel organization said roads and airports will look a lot busier than last year, when there was more of a lockdown situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nationally, the AAA is predicting that more than 53 million people will travel for the Thanksgiving holiday. That’s up 13% from last year and is the largest single-year increase in Thanksgiving travelers since 2005.
And that is despite the fact that gasoline prices are a lot higher. In the Buffalo area, the AAA said the average price for a gallon of gas is now at $3.47. That is more than $1 higher than it was last year at this time.
In addition to higher gas costs, the travel organization said hotel rates and car rental fees are also up compared to last year.
While the car is still the most popular choice for travelers, the auto club said there are also expected increases in the number of people traveling by air, bus or train.
Brian Murray, director of travel for AAA of Western and Central New York, said it’s not surprising that so many people expect to do more traveling as some of the COVID-19 restrictions have lifted.
“People have had a yearning for travel, and people are getting out,” Murray said. “We’ve all traveled a little bit in the last few months, airports crowded, airplanes crowded, and roadways are crowded, so definitely people are looking forward to this Thanksgiving and being with loved ones across the country.”
In terms of air travel, Murray said a lot of people from this part of the state who are going to be flying out of town for the holidays will be headed to Florida.
“One of the top destinations, and it’s typically always from western New York, it’s Orlando, with all the attractions and all the nonstop flights; it’s a really popular destination to go to," he said. "We’re seeing an awful lot of Cancun and Mexico as well for the holidays, not only for Thanksgiving, but for Christmas and New Year’s as well."
