AAA Carolinas projects that two million Carolinians will journey 50 miles or more from home this Thanksgiving, with 670,000 South Carolinians and just under 1.4 million North Carolinians traveling.
This represents a 1.9 percent increase over 2015. The Thanksgiving holiday travel period is defined as Wednesday, Nov. 23, to Sunday, Nov. 27.
Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport has yet to release its projections. “We find it our busiest time of the year because people want to travel over Thanksgiving but stay at home at Christmas,” Rosalyn Weston, GSP spokeswoman, told Greer Today.
GSP is offering guaranteed parking for an additional $5 fee. ?
This year’s increase in Thanksgiving travel is spurred by improvements in the economy during the second half of the year, including rising wages, increased consumer spending and overall strength in consumer confidence, according to AAA.
Greer’s gas prices sit at $1.89 a gallon, 10 cents less than the South Carolina average. North Carolina’s average price is $2.13 a gallon. The national average is $2.14. Last year South Carolina’s average was $1.91 and North Carolina’s $2.10.
Follow GreerToday’s link to the most current gas prices.
“Despite recent increases in gas prices more Carolinians than last year are carving out time to spend with friends and family this Thanksgiving,” said AAA Carolinas President and CEO Dave Parsons. “With so many Carolinians hitting the roads this holiday we want to urge motorists to be safe and put down their mobile devices. Please disconnect and drive.” Driving remains the most popular mode of travel for Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is one of the most dangerous holidays for motorists due to its five-day length and the heavy traffic caused by the high number of travelers on the road. Last year, the number of deaths on South Carolina highways during the Thanksgiving weekend were nine and North Carolina highways reached 22 fatalities.
AAA holiday road survival tips for motorists:
• Map your route in advance and be prepared for busy roads. If possible, consider leaving earlier or later to avoid heavy traffic
• Keep valuables in the trunk or covered storage area
• Have your roadside assistance contact information (like AAA) on hand in case an incident occurs on the road
• Keep a cell phone and charger with you at all times, in case of emergency.
• Obey traffic safety laws: Wear your seatbelt. Don’t speed. Don’t drink and drive.
• Eliminate distractions behind the wheel.
• For the latest on construction delays, go to the South Carolina DOT website, www.scdot.org. or North Carolina Department of Transportation website, www.ncdot.org.
According to AAA’s Leisure Travel Index, airfares are projected to increase 21 percent this Thanksgiving, landing at an average of $205 for a roundtrip flight for the top 40 domestic routes. Travelers are expected to spend an average of $155 per night. Daily car rental rates will average $52, 13 percent lower than last Thanksgiving.