Press Release

AAA Announces Expectation of Heavy Thanksgiving Travel

11/21/96

Thanksgiving Travel To Reach 12-Year High, Says AAA


ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 19 -- Americans are expected to
travel in record numbers this Thanksgiving, as 31.8 million travelers
-- 3 percent more than 1995 -- plan a holiday getaway of 100 miles or
more from home, according to AAA.

This year's Thanksgiving projections are the highest since AAA began
reporting holiday travel intentions in 1985.

AAA estimates 26.4 million will travel by automobile, light truck or
recreational vehicle, a 3 percent increase from 25.6 million who took
a trip last Thanksgiving.

Another 5.4 million Americans will travel by airplane, train or bus,
up nearly 2 percent compared to 5.3 million last year.

AAA's holiday travel projections are based on a national travel survey
of 1,500 adults by the Travel Industry Association, which conducts
special research for AAA.

The greatest number of Thanksgiving auto travelers will originate in
the Southeast with 6.6 million, followed by the Midwest with 5.4
million; West, 4.9 million; Great Lakes, 4.8 million; and Northeast,
4.7 million.

Travelers plan on visiting the following destinations during the
Thanksgiving holiday: town/rural areas, 36 percent; city, 34 percent;
mountain area, 11 percent; ocean/beach, 9 percent; state/national
park, 3 percent; lake area, 2 percent; theme/amusement park, 1
percent; and other or don't know, 4 percent.

More than half of the Thanksgiving travelers -- 56 percent -- intend
to stay overnight with relatives or friends, while 29 percent expect
to stay in a hotel or motel.  Other overnight plans include:
cabin/condo, 5 percent; camper/trailer/RV or tent, 3 percent;
boat/ship, 1 percent; and other, 1 percent.  Five percent are
undecided or don't expect to stay overnight.

For those traveling by auto this holiday, be sure all passengers are
buckled up.  To avoid dangers to children from the deployment of air
bags, passengers age 12 and under should travel in back seats and be
properly secured in a child safety seat or with lap and shoulder
belts.

          PROJECTED NUMBER OF THANKSGIVING, 1996 TRAVELERS
                       BY AUTOMOBILE/TRUCK/RV
                   BY CENSUS REGION OF RESIDENCE*


                                POPULATION     PERCENT     # TRAVELERS
                                (MILLIONS)    TRAVELING     (MILLIONS)
TOTAL U.S.                        262.9         10%           26.4
NORTHEAST                          51.9          9%            4.7
SOUTHEAST                          62.9         10%            6.6
GREAT LAKES                        43.6         11%            4.8
MIDWEST                            47.0         11%            5.4
WEST                               57.5          9%            4.9

*NORTHEAST: New England: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont; Middle Atlantic: New Jersey, New
York, Pennsylvania; SOUTHEAST: South Atlantic: Delaware, District of
Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina,
Virginia, West Virginia; East South Central: Alabama, Kentucky,
Mississippi, Tennessee; GREAT LAKES: East North Central: Illinois,
Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin; MIDWEST: West North Central: Iowa,
Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota;
West South Central: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas; WEST:
Mountain: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico,
Wyoming, Utah; Pacific: Washington, Oregon, California.