Biggest Thanksgiving Travel Surge in Years

Amid a strong economy and solid consumer confidence, AAA expects Americans to get on the road and trek through airports over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in the largest numbers in 12 years.

The auto club projects that nearly 51 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home during the five-day period from Wednesday through Sunday, with 89 percent driving. Almost 8 percent will fly.

Auto travel is expected to jump by 3.2 percent from last Thanksgiving and air travel by 5 percent. The overall increase is 3.3 percent.

AAA said travelers going by plane will pay the lowest average round-trip ticket price in five years for the top 40 domestic routes — $157.

But the daily car rental average charge of $70 is 34 percent higher than last year’s figure and the highest Thanksgiving weekend rate since 2013. (Read more from “Biggest Thanksgiving Travel Surge in Years” HERE)

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