CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Thanksgiving holiday travel period is already underway for a lot of people.
Traffic on local highways and at the airport is already picking up ahead of the busiest days coming next week.
The AAA is predicting more than 55 million travelers will hit the road over Thanksgiving. That would be the second-highest volume since AAA began keeping records in 2000.
The AAA’s spokesperson in Charlotte said gas prices in the Carolinas are low and that is a contributing factor.
“I guess you could say that lower gas prices are fueling some road trips for the Thanksgiving holiday,” said spokesperson Tiffany Wright.
Wright said gas prices in the Carolinas are 10 to 15-cents lower than the national average.
At Charlotte-Douglas International it was easy to find passengers who were already getting a jump on their travel plans rather than waiting for the crunch that comes next week.
Molly Hunter who was headed to Chicago said, “I would say its better than I expected this close to Thanksgiving.”
The AAA’s Wright said, “Air travel is up this year so we are going to see more folks taking to the skies for the Thanksgiving holiday.”
The busiest days on the road and in the air are expected to be next Wednesday and then on Sunday as people head for home.