AAA predicts Thanksgiving travel to reach near pre-pandemic levels despite the rising cost of gas.
Roughly 53.4 million people are expected to travel over the Thanksgiving holiday, according to a press release from AAA, a 13% increase in travel over 2020, bringing volume within 5% of pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
“This Thanksgiving, travel will look a lot different than last year,” said Paula Twidale, the senior vice president for AAA Travel. “Now that the borders are open and new health and safety guidelines are in place, travel is once again high on the list for Americans who are ready to reunite with their loved ones for the holiday.”
SOUTHWEST BACKS OFF PLAN TO PLACE UNVACCINATED EMPLOYEES ON UNPAID LEAVE IN DECEMBER
AAA’s prediction comes as gas prices are reaching the highest they’ve been in seven years.
“Despite gas costing over a dollar more per gallon than this time last year, 90% of people plan to travel by car as their preferred mode of travel,” the press release said. “Although the car is still the most popular choice for travelers, a greater share will opt to travel by air and other modes such as bus, train, or cruise this year.”
On Tuesday, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm hinted the White House may announce some sort of action to blunt high gas prices.
Several options President Joe Biden has in terms of addressing the cost of gasoline range from pressuring OPEC to produce more oil to a release from the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
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The United States reopened travel for noncitizens who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 from Mexico, Canada, and a large portion of European countries on Monday.
