AAA says Thanksgiving 2018 holiday travelers can expect heavier traffic, busier airports than last year • Northwest Indiana Business Magazine
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AAA says Thanksgiving 2018 holiday travelers can expect heavier traffic, busier airports than last year

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Traffic signAAA projects 54.3 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more away from home this Thanksgiving, a 4.8 percent increase from last year.

The 2018 holiday weekend will see the highest Thanksgiving travel volume since 2005 with 2.5 million more people taking to the nation's roads, skies, rails and waterways compared with last year, AAA said. For the 48.5 million Americans planning a Thanksgiving holiday road trip, INRIX, a global mobility analytics company, predicts travel times in the most congested cities in the U.S. could be as much as four times longer than a normal trip.

“Consumers have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season: higher wages, more disposable income and rising levels of household wealth,” said Bill Sutherland, AAA Travel senior vice president. “This is translating into more travelers kicking off the holiday season with a Thanksgiving getaway, building on a positive year for the travel industry.”

The Thanksgiving holiday period is defined as Wednesday, Nov. 21 to Sunday, Nov. 25.

By the Numbers: 2018 Thanksgiving Holiday Travel Forecast

  • Automobiles: The vast majority of travelers – 48.5 million – will hit the road this Thanksgiving, nearly 5 percent more than last year.
  • Planes: The largest growth in holiday travel is by air, at 5.4 percent, with 4.27 million travelers.
  • Trains, buses and cruise ships: Travel across these sectors will increase by 1.4 percent, with a total 1.48 million passengers.

Based on historical and recent travel trends, INRIX, in collaboration with AAA, predicts drivers will experience the greatest amount of congestion Thanksgiving week during the early evening commute period, with travel times starting to increase on Monday. Drivers in San Francisco, New York City and Boston will see the largest delays – nearly quadruple normal drive times.

In most cases, the best days to travel will be on Thanksgiving Day, Friday or Saturday. Drivers should expect increased travel times on Sunday as most holiday travelers will be making their way home after the long weekend.

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