Holiday travel tips for North Texans hitting the roads and runways
NORTH TEXAS (CBSNewstexas.com) - According to AAA, more than 55 million Americans are expected to travel to see their loved ones this Thanksgiving holiday.
No matter if you're traveling near or far this Thanksgiving, hitting the roads or the runways can be stressful this time of year.
AAA Texas estimates that 4 million Texans will travel 50 miles or more to their Thanksgiving dinner table between Wednesday and Sunday. Travel volume is expected to be up 2% compared to last year.
"This forecast just shows us that people are feeling more comfortable to get out there again and they are prioritizing their budget to travel because during the pandemic so many people had to cancel plans," said Doug Shupe, a spokesperson for AAA Texas.
Nina Marquez-Johns and her husband are driving all the way from New Mexico to Houston for Thanksgiving.
"We choose to drive because we're bringing a whole gob of stuff to our grandkids Christmas gifts and stuff like that," said Marquez-Johns. "We decided to drive instead of dealing with the airports this time of year they're just too crazy. "
AAA Texas says most Texans will be driving this Thanksgiving. If you're driving to dinner this year it's important to make sure your car is in tip-top shape.
"We're encouraging people to inspect the vehicle that you plan to drive, check your tire tread and inflation make sure your battery has a good charge," said Shupe.
We're told Wednesday will be the busiest day on the road.
"The best bet to avoid the peak traffic times is to leave as early in the day as you possibly can," said Shupe.
Some good news if you're driving, gas prices are down about 30 cents compared to this time last year.
And if you're flying for the holiday:
"Get to the airport at least 2 hours before domestic flights and at least 3 hours before international flights," said Shupe. AAA Texas suggests also reserving your parking lot spots before you get to the airport and downloading your airline's app so you can get easy access to flight updates.
Whether by car or by carrier, AAA reminds everyone to be kind as you head home for the holidays.