Concerns over flight cancellations could push more travelers to hit the road this Thanksgiving holiday travel season, AAA said in a travel forecast for this year.
AAA projects 4.65 million Floridians will travel at least 50 miles from home during the Thanksgiving holiday period, which runs from Tuesday, Nov. 25 to Monday, Dec. 1. This figure would mark a 2.6% increase over last year and set a record for Thanksgiving travel in the Sunshine State.
“Floridians are embracing the Thanksgiving spirit with record-breaking travel plans this year,” said Debbie Haas, Vice President of Travel for AAA—The Auto Club Group. “Whether it’s driving across the state or flying across the country, people are making time to connect with loved ones. Even with concerns about flight cancellations, travelers are showing flexibility and resilience and relying most on driving.”
The Federal Aviation Administration allowed air carriers to return to their full complement of flights after the federal shutdown ended last week, but industry experts believe it could be a couple weeks before the air carriers are back at 100% operation. AAA says in Florida, nearly 300,000 residents will take to the skies. Given recent flight reductions, that number could end up being lower as flights get cancelled or travelers make other plans. Expect Orlando International Airport to be busy, as AAA booking data shows Orlando as the top domestic holiday destination in the country (Fort Lauderdale, Miami and Tampa aren’t far behind), thanks to the area’s theme parks and cruise ports.
As for the roads, more than 4.25 million Floridians will drive to their destinations, a number that could rise with air flight issues. Drivers can expect lower gas prices on Thanksgiving than last year, when the state average was $3.11 per gallon; they’ve bounced between $2.85 and $2.99 per gallon locally over the last month and should stay in that range for the holiday, AAA said.
According to traffic analysis research group INRIX, the afternoons on Nov. 25-26 (the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving) will be the most congested travel times before Thanksgiving. Heavy traffic is expected all day Sunday, Nov. 30 as travelers return home.
