AAA projects 43.4 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more from home during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, a decrease of 1.5 percent from the 44 million people who traveled last year. This decrease falls just shy of last Thanksgiving’s four-year peak since the recession-driven declines in 2008-09 when Thanksgiving travel fell by 25 percent. The Thanksgiving holiday travel period is defined as Wednesday, Nov. 27, to Sunday, Dec. 1. Ninety percent of travelers or 38.9 million to travel by automobile, a decline of 1.6 percent. Median spending is expected to drop nearly 7 percent to $465, compared to $498 last year. AAA estimates that most drivers will pay the cheapest gas prices for the Thanksgiving holiday since 2010. The Thanksgiving holiday is a less expensive holiday for travelers compared to other holidays.
On a related note, the National Restaurant Association reports that 33 million Americans will rely on restaurants for all or parts of their Thanksgiving meals this year. In addition, 46 million Americans are expected to dine out while shopping on Thanksgiving Day or Black Friday. The NRA’s consumer survey found that 15 million Americans plan to visit a restaurant for a Thanksgiving meal this year, an additional 14 million plan to order parts of their Thanksgiving meal from a restaurant to be eaten at their home or someone else’s home, and 4 million plan to order a full takeout Thanksgiving meal from a restaurant.