(KFVS) – AAA gave some travel updates ahead of Thanksgiving.
A record number of people are expected to travel, and most of them will be hitting the road.
According to AAA, 73 million Americans will drive 50 miles or more for the holiday. They say Tuesday and Wednesday will be among the busiest travel days.
AAA spokesperson Nick Chabarria said the best way to beat the traffic is by leaving early.
“The later you leave in the morning the more likely it is you are going to run into some of that holiday traffic and congestion,” he said. “If you can get on the road first thing in the morning, and at least get close to your destination by the time that congestions builds up, you’ll be in better shape.”
If you do plan to drive, now is the time to make sure your car is “road ready.”
According to AAA, it responded to 600,000 roadside calls during 2024’s holiday travel period.
AAA spokesperson Nick Chabarria said two of the biggest reasons for those calls were flat tires and dead batteries.
He said most of the time, those troubles can be avoided.
“You can make sure your tires have enough tread depth so that you are not running on bald tires and potentially having a blow out and also you can check your battery before you leave,” he explained.
Most auto parts stores will check your battery for free.
Chabarria said other popular reasons for calls for help included running out of gas and getting locked out of the car.
More and more people are also skipping the traditional travel plans.
According to AAA, about 2.5 million people will do something other than drive or fly to their destination this year. That could mean taking a bus, a train or boarding a cruise ship.
They say these travel options are up 8.5 percent compared to 2024, and they’ve seen a nearly 30 percent increase compared to 2019, the year before the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Cruising has made a pronounced comeback since the pandemic,” Chabarria said. “Cruising has become a form of vacation and travel for a lot of folks. And cruise lines have responded by adding to their fleets, adding to their availability and extra bookings. So when you see that growth number that really is coming in the from of cruising.”
As for flying, the government is letting airlines return to normal following the end of the shutdown.
The Federal Aviation Administration lifted its order slashing flights, allowing airlines to resume their normal flight schedule. The adjustment comes one week before the busiest travel time of the year.
According to AAA, about 6 million Americans will fly for the Thanksgiving holiday. It remains to be seen if airports will experience any lingering impacts of the shutdown, but with so many people flying for Thanksgiving, AAA said travelers should get to the airport extra early.
“Normally, we recommend arrive two hours ahead of domestic flights and three hours ahead of international flights,” Chabarria said. “You may want to stretch that out a little bit, especially over the course of thanksgiving just because of the sheer amount of people that are expected to be there.”
The holiday travel weekend begins on Tuesday, November 25 and runs through December 1.
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