AAA announced this week that it expects 3 million Floridians to travel at least 50 miles during the Thanksgiving holiday.
This number, up 87,000 from last year, is the second highest number in history–and the highest since 2005. Across the nation, more than 55.3 million Americans are expected to travel for the holiday. That’s 1.3 million more than last year.
“Travel demand has been strong all year and that trend will continue with one of the busiest Thanksgivings on record,” said Debbie Haas, the vice president of travel for AAA and the Auto Club Group. “With more people taking to the roads, skies, rails and sea; travelers should expect congested roads and longer lines at transportation terminals. AAA encourages travelers to develop their plan now, leave early, and be courteous to others.”
Around 2,8 million Floridians are expected to travel by car while 210,000 residents of the Sunshine State will fly over the holiday. Around 50,000 Floridians will travel by bus, train or cruise, an increase of 9 percent from last year. .
“The cruise industry, in particular, has made a remarkable comeback, and thrives during the holidays,” Haas added. “Holiday cruises are highly sought-after as a means for large families to travel together and visit multiple destinations without having to worry about the cooking and cleanup.”
With the weather cooling, Florida remains a very popular destination. Orlando is the top travel destination for Thanksgiving travelers followed by Cancun and Fort Lauderdale, Mexico City and Miami. Tampa ranks ninth on travel destinations for the Thanksgiving holiday.
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