Record Thanksgiving car traffic expected amid airline concerns
Bradley Davis
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – The American Automobile Association (AAA) said it expects drivers to hit the roads in record numbers this week for Thanksgiving travel.
It estimates at least 73 million people will drive 50 or more miles while traveling during the holiday week. That would be a new record and accounts for around 90% of the projected travelers.
AAA said the final count could outstrip their projections because of the flight disruptions stemming from the government shutdown. Put simply, families working on travel plans the last couple of months may have decided to fill the gas tank in favor of purchasing the plane ticket because of airline uncertainties.
Despite those disruptions, the Denver International Airport (DIA) said it expects 10% more people to fly out of its terminals this Thanksgiving week compared to last year.
Fortunately, for in-state travelers, the average price at the pump across Colorado was significantly below the national average, according to GasBuddy. As of November 24, the site has the state of Colorado at $2.58 a gallon and Colorado Springs just below $2.50 a gallon. It has the U.S. average at just above $3.02 a gallon.