More Thanksgiving Travelers Will Take to The Roads and Skies Next Weekend, Predicts AAA Texas
HOUSTON--Nov. 21, 2002--More Thanksgiving travelers will take to the roads and skies this holiday period than they did a year ago, according to AAA.Approximately 35.9 million Americans will take a trip 50 miles or more from home this Thanksgiving, that's an increase of about 2 percent than the 35.3 million who traveled last year.
About 30.8 million people will be traveling by car to their destinations -- nearly 1 percent more than last year, when 30.6 million hit the roads. AAA expects air travel to climb 6 percent as 5.1 Americans plan to fly this holiday compared to 4.8 million last Thanksgiving.
"We're continuing to see a gradual recovery from last year's downturn," said Rose Rougeau, spokesperson for AAA Texas. "However, travelers who are hoping to find space at this late date will have to be flexible since many airlines have reduced their flight schedules at least 10 percent within the last year -- which means fewer seats are available."
According to a AAA Texas travel survey, the most popular destinations for Thanksgiving weekend travelers are:
1. Galveston Cruises (Western Caribbean) 2. Orlando, Florida 3. San Antonio, Texas 4. Galveston, Texas 5. New York City, New York
Texas motorists can expect the average price of gasoline around $1.36 a gallon, down about 5 cents from last month and more than 25-cents higher than last year's pre-Thanksgiving price.
With tightened airline security and increased crowds at the airports, passengers should give themselves extra time to find parking and get themselves and their baggage through security checkpoints. The U.S. Travel Security Administration and AAA Texas travel agents offer the following tips for air passengers:
| -- | During the holiday period, arrive at least two hours early for domestic flights and three hours for international flights. |
| -- | Don't wrap gift packages that you are carrying with you in carry-on or checked luggage, because the wrapping may need to be removed during baggage inspection. |
| -- | Wear shoes that are easy to slip on and off for inspection, and clothing without a lot of metal that will set off metal detectors. |
| -- | All undeveloped film should be placed in carry-on baggage and not in checked baggage, because the checked baggage inspection system may damage the film. |
AAA's holiday travel projections are based on a national survey of 1,300 U.S. adults by the Travel Industry Association, which conducts special research for AAA. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percent.
AAA Texas, an affiliate of the American Automobile Association, has been serving Texans since 1902. Today, more than a million AAA Texas' members benefit by the organization's roadside assistance service, travel agency, financial products, automotive pricing, buying and financing, trip planning services, and traffic safety programs. Information about these products and services is available on AAA Texas' Web site at www.aaa-texas.com.