AAA Holiday Travel Tips

1. AAA Mid-Atlantic estimates over 48 thousand travelers from the Wilkes-Barre area will travel 50 miles or more away from home over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, a slight (0.3 percent) increase over last year.
2. Travel in the region could drop below 2011 levels as the impact of Hurricane Sandy continues to be felt throughout the region. (note: AAA Mid-Atlantic's holiday travel forecast is based on travelers' intentions and historical data as of late October, prior to Sandy making landfall.)
3. Today, (Wednesday) is the busiest travel day. Among those surveyed by AAA, the majority of travelers planned to leave the Wednesday before the holiday (45 percent) and return the following Sunday (36 percent) with another 25 percent expecting to return on Monday, Nov. 26.
4. 84% will travel by car (up 3/10 percent). 8% will travel by air (down 2 percent). 573 miles - the average roundtrip for Middle Atlantic region travelers (including PA). $644 - the average expected trip expenditures for Middle Atlantic region travelers. As a result of sluggish economic recovery and high gas prices, travelers are cutting back on spending and travel distances.
5. This year we are seeing the highest-ever gas prices for Thanksgiving travel. Last year, the average gas price in the Wilkes-Barre area was $3.35 per gallon for Thanksgiving weekend. Today's price is $3.59 per gallon. Gas prices have been dropping during the past several weeks, and should continue to fall, but are still high compared to previous years.
6. If you're looking to rent a car, you'll find the supplies are tight and prices are high, thanks to a combination of Thanksgiving travel plus demand due to Hurricane Sandy (car rental companies have had to divert some of their fleets to storm-affected areas where people need cars)
7. Most popular activities for Pennsylvania travelers this Thanksgiving:

Visit friends/relatives 76%

Dining 52%

Shopping 51%

Visit museums/art exhibits 27%