AAA is projecting more than 48.7 million Americans to travel fifty miles or more in a car, train, plane, or cruise ship for Thanksgiving, making it the most traveled Turkey Day in the past decade.
“We’re finding that people have more money in their pockets, thanks to lower gas prices, but there are also economic factors like rising wages. The labor market is improving and consumer spending overall is expected to remain strong," said spokesman Mark Jeninks.
The company is expecting more than 2.5 million Floridians to travel, up nearly 5 percent from last year. More than 2.2 million of them will be driving, the most popular mode of travel for Thanksgiving.
But air travel is also expected to increase. Predictions based on airline seat reservations find that 1.4 million passengers could make their way through the terminals sometime between Wednesday and next Monday. That amounts to a 9.4 percent hike from last year, according to figures from the Orlando International Airport. Officials there are encouraging domestic travelers to arrive at least two hours early to avoid delays due to construction in the terminal; international travelers are asked to arrive three hours early.
Saturday, Sunday, and Monday are slated to be the busiest days.