ORLANDO, Fla. — About 35.9 million travelers will hit the roads, rails and air during Thanksgiving this year, a slight increase over 2001, AAA predicted Tuesday.
According to a report in the Associated Press, the number of Thanksgiving travelers had been dropping in recent years, from 37.4 million in 1999 to 36.8 million people in 2000 to 35.3 million last year.
The association expects the percentage of people traveling by motor vehicle to drop slightly, to 86 percent from last year’s 87 percent — a record high brought on by fears of flying after the Sept. 11 attacks.
Meanwhile, the number of travelers reaching their Thanksgiving dinners by air is expected to rise from 4.8 million to about 5.1 million.
The AAA projections were based on a national survey of 1,300 adults by the Travel Industry Association.
Motorists will find gasoline significantly pricier than last year. The nationwide average price of gas, $1.46 per gallon, is about 25 cents higher than last year, AAA reported.
The Orlando-based leisure travel organization blamed higher gas prices on reduced inventories and strong demand.