LOS ANGELES (AP) – An expanded version of America’s annual Thanksgiving travel saga has begun with gas prices low and terrorism fears high.
An estimated 46.9 million Americans are expected to take a car, plane, bus or train at least 50 miles from home over the long holiday weekend, according to the motoring organization AAA. That would be an increase of more than 300,000 people over last year, and the most travelers since 2007.
Among the reasons given for the increase: an improving economy and the cheapest gasoline for this time of year since 2008.
On Tuesday, some travelers were gearing up for an early exit.
Fanni Farago, 26, of Tempe, Arizona, sat in the Albuquerque airport with her sister Flora Farago, 30, while waiting for their parents to arrive from Dallas. The family was planning on driving to the mountain resort of Red River, New Mexico to revive a family Thanksgiving tradition.