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Thanksgiving travel predicted to be near pre-pandemic levels

highway traffic
Posted at 6:15 AM, Nov 22, 2021
and last updated 2021-11-22 07:15:50-05

Thanksgiving week is upon us and whether you pack up the car or head to the airport, Thanksgiving travel may be on the rebound.

AAA says millions of Americans are expected to be on the move for the holiday.

The association predicts that more than 53 million Americans will travel for the Thanksgiving holiday, up 13 percent from 2020.

This brings travel volumes within five percent of pre-pandemic levels for the 2019 holiday.

Travelers can expect pre-pandemic conditions for highway congestion in all the usual places. Despite gas costing over a dollar more per gallon than this time last year, AAA says that 90 percent of people plan to travel by car as their preferred mode of travel.

With longer lines expected at airports, AAA says that travelers could see an increase in flight cancellations and delays.

Experts say to give yourself more than enough time to get to and from your destination and prepare for the unexpected.

"Unfortunately you're kind of at the mercy of the airlines and then the weather," said AAA spokesperson Mark Jenkins. "Staffing has been a problem as of late and there's been a lot of talk that they're going to try to shore that up for the holidays, but you also just have to realize that this is the time of year when inclement weather becomes an issue."

Jenkins adds that flying out first thing in the morning could be the best opportunity to avoid delays or snags and suggests people buy travel insurance.

For more information from AAA on holiday travel, click here.

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