More than 43 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles this holiday weekend, according to AAA’s Thanksgiving Holiday Travel Forecast, and 90 percent of those journeys will take place on the road.

Thanksgiving travel has increased for four consecutive years, and is now up markedly from 2008 when the Great Recession caused it to fall 25 percent. Still, the continued tough economy is keeping travelers closer to home. AAA reports the average distance traveled will decline 118 miles this year to 588 miles. The shorter traveling distances are due in part to travelers’ tighter gas budgets, but largely because of the decreased number of airline trips.

“Thanksgiving travel hit a decade low in 2008 when only 37.8 million Americans traveled,” said AAA President and CEO Robert Darbelnet. “Since that year we have seen a steady increase in the number of travelers taking to the roads and skies for the holiday. Americans continue to find ways to economize their budgets so they can gather around the holiday table to carve the turkey.”

Fortunately for Thanksgiving travelers, gas prices have been on the decline in recent weeks. Although the national average is still hovering around $3.30 a gallon—similar to last year’s $3.32, according to AAA the most expensive Thanksgiving average ever—it is about 40 cents per gallon less than was being charged in early October. The lower gas prices should help budget-conscious holiday travelers who plan to spend about $500 over the Thanksgiving holiday this year, according to AAA—a 10-percent decrease compared to the expected spending of 2011 holiday travelers. And although more Americans plan to drive this holiday, the average lowest round-trip rate among the top 40 US air routes is actually 11 percent less than it was last year, at just $188 a ticket.

[Image via Shutterstock]

Samantha Lile

Samantha Lile is a 2002 Missouri State University graduate of journalism and mass media. She has served as a reporter and editor for various newspapers throughout her journalism career. She made the leap into writing full-time after working for a major financial institution since 2000.

Because of her banking background, Samantha is knowledgeable in finance reporting, but is also strong in commentaries, personal profiles, youth studies, horticulture, history and entertainment-related works.

Samantha lives in Ozark, Mo. with her husband of nine years, four dogs and two cats.

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