Thanksgiving Day travel won’t be record breaking but it could be busier than last year. AAA predicts 50.9 million Americans will travel by road or air this Thanksgiving– a 3.3 percent increase over 2016. Watch out for a storm system in parts of the country – the Northwest is expecting rain and snow and the Southeast will receive multiple rain showers.
Here are some helpful tips for those who will be among the estimated 972,000 people in Arizona who will travel ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday starting on Tuesday.
Planning on driving to your destination?
More than 844,000 Arizonans are expected to hit the road this Thanksgiving, an increase of more than 3 percent compared to last year.
For those who are opting to drive to a nearby destination, Donati suggested that travelers ensure that they plan their routes ahead of time, have enough gas in the tank and monitor roadway conditions as they go.
What about if you’re hitting the skies this holiday?
More than 66,000 people in Arizona are expected to fly to their destination ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, a 4.4 percent jump compared to last year.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is already bracing for a busy travel week.
Spokeswoman Heather Lissner said the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is the busiest day — both inside and outside the airport. “Our roadways are going to be very busy,” Lissner said. “We’re encouraging those who are picking up or dropping off friends and family to use the 44th Street and Washington Sky Train station.” Lissner also suggested that travelers give themselves at least two hours to check their bags and get through security if they are flying within the U.S. For international flights, Lissner said allowing three hours is good.
Travelers will experience a new thing this year: Security-checkpoint wait times. You can see these on flight information displays and visual paging screens, as well as in the Phoenix Sky Train screens.
