Watch it out there this week. AAA projects some 43.6 million of us will travel 50 miles or more this coming Thanksgiving holiday. And while 90 percent of folks will go by car, 3.14 million will do so via air.
Here’s Triple-A’s head’s up as to the heaviest travel days. The majority of travelers will depart (no surprise here) on Wednesday Nov. 21, a full 45 percent of them. 36 percent plan to return Sunday Nov. 25, with another 25 percent getting back to home and hearth Monday Nov. 16.
The good news for flyers is that airports per se could be a shade less crowded. That’s because AAA says holiday air travel is tailing off a tad, from 3.2 million flyers in 2011 to 3.14 million this Thanksgiving.
Triple-A says those who do fly could well find it somewhat cheaper than last year. AAA’s Leisure Travel Index finds the average lowest round-trip rate at $188 for the top 40 U.S. air routes – an 11 percent decrease form last Thanksgiving’s numbers.
Airlines for America, an industry trade group, says flyers should prepare themselves for full airplanes – despite the fact that fewer travelers are actually taking wing. Here’s the deal: airlines have been cutting back on the number of flights for the past few years. Airlines for America says the trend continues this year “as carriers continue to more closely match available seats to demand in an effort to offset what are expected to be record annual fuel costs.”
A4A says flights should be close to 90 percent full on the busiest travel days. It projects 2.4 million passengers will fly Sunday Nov. 25, and 2.3 million each on Wednesday Nov. 21 and Monday Nov. 26.
A Cheapflights hint: if you book your flight for early Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22 and leave by mid-day Friday Nov. 23 you could save some money, not to mention some precious elbow room.
(Featured image: B Rosen)
