More travellers are expected to hit the roads and skies for Thanksgiving this year than since 2007, according to AAA Travel.

Driving remains the most popular mod of travel for Thanksgiving, so be sure to allow yourself plenty of time to get to your destination and back.

AAA Travel forecasts 46.9 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more from home during the Thanksgiving holiday, a 0.6 percent increase over the 46.6 million people
who traveled last year and the most since 2007. With 300,000 additional holiday travelers, this marks the seventh consecutive year of growth for Thanksgiving travel.

The Thanksgiving holiday travel period is defined as Wednesday, November 25 to Sunday, November 29.

“This Thanksgiving, more Montanans will carve out time to visit friends and family since 2007,” said Anna O’Donnell, spokesperson, AAA MountainWest. “While many Montanans remain cautious about the economy and their finances, many thankful Montanans continue to put a premium on traveling to spend the holiday with loved ones.”

Gas prices remain well below 2014 levels, providing an early holiday bonus to the more than 89 percent of holiday travelers who will drive to their destinations.

“One holiday gift has come early this year. Montanan’s will likely pay the lowest Thanksgiving gas prices since 2008. Lower prices are helping boost disposable income, and enabling families to kick off the holiday season with a Thanksgiving getaway,” O’Donnell said in a prepared statement.

Nearly 42 million Americans will take a holiday road trip this Thanksgiving, an increase of 0.7 percent over last year. Air travel is expected to increase by 0.1 percent, with 3.6 million Americans flying to their holiday destinations. Travel by other modes of transportation, including cruises, trains and buses, will decrease 1.4 percent this Thanksgiving, to 1.4 million travelers.

 

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