More people around the country, including in Idaho, will be traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday this week. AAA projects that 4.2 percent more Americans will travel 50 miles or more this week compared to last year.
Dave Carlson, with AAA Idaho, says it will be a busy time on the roads and at the airport.
“We are expecting overall 237,000 Idahoans will be traveling," Carlson says. "That represents about 14 to 15 percent of the population and about 204,000 of those will be doing so by motor vehicle.”
AAA predicts this Thanksgiving week will see the highest travel volume for the country since to 2007.
“It’s not a record for this particular holiday,” says Carlson, “but it does suggest that it’s going to be a very busy day for Grandma or wherever folks are heading for the holiday.”
Carlson says there are several reasons why more people are traveling this holiday. He cites an improved economy, more disposable income and lower gas prices. There’s been a 25-cent drop in gas prices in the last month across the country. Idaho’s average has fallen to $3.06 a gallon.
Travelers in AAA's Mountain Region, which includes Idaho, will go an average of 952 miles per round trip. That's about 400 miles more than travelers in other regions of the country.
“We don’t really have a sense on why that’s true, except there may be more air travelers heading out of this part of the county,” says Carlson.
Find Samantha Wright on Twitter @samwrightradio
Copyright 2014 Boise State Public Radio
