AAA Midwest Anticipates Fourth Highest Travel Record Since 2005

(KNSI) — If you have travel plans across the holiday weekend in the Midwest, you won’t be alone.

AAA’s Brian Ortner says if you’re driving, along with the pie and warm clothes, pack your patience. “We’re about 2% higher than last year. This will be the fourth highest record for our region since 2005, with an expected 85,000 more travelers from our region heading out over the Thanksgiving holiday.”

More than 55 million people nationwide will be traveling for Thanksgiving this week, most of whom will be driving. Ortner says if you’re hitting the road Wednesday after the kids get off school, chances are, between about 2:00 and 6:00 p.m. is peak travel time “because while a lot of people have that evening off, they will be mixed with the traffic of the workers during that time as well.”

As everyone heads home, Sunday afternoon and evening drivers will also see heavier traffic.

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport said the Thanksgiving holiday could be their busiest travel season in four years as an estimated 38,000 to 40,000 passengers are expected to pass through the TSA checkpoints on peak travel days. Airport officials advise passengers to arrive two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international travel.

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