WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Travelers this Thanksgiving are facing record high gas prices for November, but they will not be deterred from seeing friends and family this holiday.
AAA estimates that 38.7 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday, a modest 1.5% increase from last year's 38.1 million travelers.
"The interesting trend this holiday season is gas prices," said Robert L. Darbelnet, president and CEO of AAA. "This is the first time that we have seen gas prices topping more than $3.00 a gallon [image-nocss] in November. A year ago, prices were in the range of $2.20 a gallon, so this year travelers are really feeling the pinch. But Thanksgiving is traditionally a time for family gatherings, and higher gas will not discourage Americans from connecting with their loved ones."
This is consistent with historical data, which shows that high gas prices do not generally keep people from traveling by car.
While travelers will be paying more at the pump, they will be getting a break in other areas of their travel budget this holiday. Following steep increases last year, hotels, airfares and car rental prices are all either flat or showing a drop in price, according to AAA's Leisure Travel Index. Compared to last year, holiday hotel rates are down 3% for AAA-Rated Three Diamond hotels, after a significant increase last year. Rates at AAA Two Diamond hotels are up by only 1% this holiday. Expect lower rates for rental cars, as well, with an average decrease of 12%. With an average 7% decrease from last year, airline passengers will be getting a bit of a break this holiday.
Approximately 31.2 million travelers (80% of all holiday travelers) expect to go by motor vehicle, a 1.3% increase from the 30.8 million who drove in 2006.
AAA expects 4.7 million Americans (12.1% of holiday travelers) to travel by airplane, up 2.2% from last Thanksgiving holiday. A projected 2.8 million travelers will go by train, bus, or other mode of transportation.
The greatest number of Thanksgiving auto travelers will originate in the Southeast with 9 million, followed by the West, 7.1 million; Midwest, 6.6 million; the Great Lakes, 6.2 million; and the Northeast, 2.4 million.
Meanwhile, Discover Card released the findings of its first Thanksgiving Survey, assessing consumers' travel trends and sentiments about this holiday. Some 54% of respondents plan to travel during the Thanksgiving weekend, with automobiles dominating as the preferred method of transportation. In total, 88% plan to travel by car, 6% by plane, 2% by bus and 1% via train.
When asked what they like most about the holiday, almost three-quarters of respondents (73%) said the opportunity to see family or be surrounded by loved ones. Significantly more female respondents (80%) than male respondents (64%) cited this response; 11% cited a big turkey dinner as what they liked most, with men outweighing women in citing this response at 15% vs. 7%, respectively.
"Thanksgiving Day signifies the arrival of the holiday season, a time to celebrate with friends and family both near and far," said Margo Georgiadis, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, Discover Financial Services. "The results of the Discover Card Thanksgiving Survey herald a busy travel season, especially for those who plan to hit the road. While almost half of survey respondents cited high gas prices as a drawback to Thanksgiving travel, this burden is eased for Discover Open Road cardmembers who receive a full 5% Cashback Bonus on gas and auto maintenance purchases."
When it comes to respondents' sentiments toward Thanksgiving holiday travel, when asked what they like least, 44% of respondent said high gas prices while 34% said traffic; 6% said long lines at the airport, followed by airport security hassles at 4%; 3% said high hotel prices. And 26% of respondents cited the fear of putting on extra pounds or overeating as the biggest drawbacks about Thanksgiving; 19% cited the hassle of cooking a large meal, with 25% of women versus 13% of men citing this response.Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.