The Week in Travel Stats: What to Expect From Thanksgiving Travel

The club said in a statement that almost 90 percent of holiday travelers will be driving to their destinations, slightly more than previous year.

“Gas prices are at the lowest level for this time of year since 2008”, AAA spokeswoman Christine Delise said, “It’s fantastic and definitely great for the economy”. The lowest price for regular unleaded gas Wednesday in the Medina area, according to gasbuddy.com, was $1.96 per gallon at the Marathon station at 3809 Pearl Road, Medina Township.

Nationally: 1.4 million (3% of all travelers), a 1.4% decrease from 2014. With 300,000 additional holiday travelers, this marks the seventh consecutive year of growth for Thanksgiving travel.

The restaurant expects to serve about 1,400 people and has over 350 volunteers signed up to help out. It says they’ll likely be the lowest since 2008.

The recent declines in retail gasoline prices will come as welcome news to those planning to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday next week. AAA Two Diamond lodgings are expected to be four percent higher, with an average room costing $118 per night.

For the analysis, Thanksgiving travel is defined as departing between November 20 and 27, and Christmas travel as departing between December 19 and 31.

Forecasters are calling for a cool down over the weekend, with highs in the 40s and lows around freezing before a mid-week warmup, Miketta said.

“When you fill up your tank, it’s going to be a difference of a few cents”, said Darlan Bandeira, 42, who planned to travel to Washington for the holiday.

One factor that’s very important for a successful holiday season is consumer confidence – and that’s headed in the right direction.

AAA says whatever travel mode you use safety should always be a priority.

It’s a good idea to arrive early – even earlier than you would have a week ago as airport security tightens after renewed threats from ISIS extremists and last week’s attacks in Paris and Beirut.

AAA MI reports that the current statewide average, including the city of Detroit, is now $1.99 a gallon.