TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — If you’re heading out of town this Thanksgiving, you will definitely have company.
A record-breaking 81.8 million Americans are expected to travel starting today through December 1, according to AAA projections. That's 1.6 million more people than last year, making this Thanksgiving the single busiest travel holiday of the year.
About 73 million people will be on the roads this week, which AAA says is about 90% of expected Thanksgiving travelers.
AAA projects travelers will drive at least 50 miles from home over the Thanksgiving holiday period. At an eastside Tucson gas station, some locals are opting to stay close to home. Fred Swiderski is making a much shorter drive this year.
"Well, we have great travel plans. We are going to visit with family, and we have to drive one mile," Swiderski said.
Swiderski used to travel for Thanksgiving when his kids were younger, but now all of his family is in Tucson.
"So we're real excited about that. Staying off the roads, staying away from airports and just not dealing with the congestion of travel during the holiday," Swiderski said.
Peggy Boyd isn't traveling out of town either, but she will be out on the roads early Thursday making deliveries for DoorDash.
"I am going to do my Thanksgiving dinner, but I am going to go out in the morning, and I think I'm going to be delivering a bunch of coffee," Boyd said.
Gas prices are offering some relief for travelers this year. AAA reports that last Thanksgiving, the national average for a gallon of gas was $3.06. Today, Boyd paid just over $2.80 per gallon.
"I didn't even need gas right now, and I was just coming by here, and it's congested over here, and this is the only place I get gas. So, I just filled up my tank right now, so I won't have to do it on Thanksgiving," Boyd said.
Some travelers have already completed their journeys. Sarah Steiniger drove from California with her family.
"It hasn't been bad. We came from San Diego on Sunday, and it took us about 6 hours driving, and I had my 2 little kids and our big poodle puppy in the car. So, we had a couple stops but didn't hit any traffic," Steiniger said.
Whether you're traveling a mile or across state lines, AAA says planning ahead is key to a smooth trip.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
——
Jacqueline Aguilar is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born and raised in Yuma, AZ., she is no stranger to the unforgiving Arizona heat. Now this U of A wildcat is excited to be back in Tucson and is looking forward to involving herself in the community. Share your story ideas with Jacqueline by emailing jacqueline.aguilar@kgun9.com or connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
