The deluge of rain that has flooded Northern California won't derail Justin Koehler's Thanksgiving travel plans.
“Right now I’m just waiting for the weather to clear up,” he said. “Don’t go north. For me there is less traffic.”
AAA, formerly the American Automobile Association, predicts nearly 80 million people will travel for Thanksgiving this week, setting recent records and exceeding pre-pandemic travel numbers. About 10.7 million of the travelers will come from California.
“Thanksgiving is at the top of the list of busiest holidays, and this year we are on track to break records across all modes of transportation – from road trips to flights and cruises,” said Cyndi Zesk, vp of AAA Northern California. “Thanksgiving is all about reuniting and celebrating with loved ones, and these numbers reflect that commitment to family.”
This 12 months, the organization predicts a rise of 1.7 million travelers in comparison with last 12 months and a couple of million greater than in 2019. The overwhelming majority – an expected 79.9 million people – will travel 50 miles or more from home for vacation be, measured within the seven-day period between Tuesday and December 2nd.
Of those, 71.7 million people, or 9.32 million Californians, will drive, a rise of 1.3 million more people in comparison with last 12 months. 5.84 million people, or 1.1 million Californians, are expected to fly, a 2% increase from last 12 months. Nearly 2.3 million people, or 296,000 Californians, are expected to travel by bus, cruise or train, up 9% from last 12 months.
The recent deluge of rain within the northern a part of the state is taken into account the largest potential travel obstacle, said AAA spokesman John Treanor.
“There may be delays at airports, but we don’t think it will have a major impact on the total number of travelers across the country,” Treanor said. “I don’t know that the weather is bad enough for travelers to cancel their trips.”
Michelle May of Fairfax said she plans to remain local and travel just far enough to select up her 25-year-old son in Novato before preparing dinner at home together with her daughters.
May said the family will even spend a few of their time volunteering at St. Vincent de Paul in San Rafael to assist those in need.
“This year, more than any other year, I am so grateful to see the community pulling together,” she said.
San Rafael resident Domenico Bartolozzi often celebrates along with his wife's family in Marin or Petaluma. But because the children are adults, there are not any immediate plans, he said.
“If someone invites me, I may go, I may not,” he said. “There is affordability. Everything is more expensive. Turkeys are more expensive, vegetables are more expensive.”
Aside from food inflation, lower fuel prices could allow travelers to spend their money elsewhere, Treanor said. The average price of a gallon of gas in California is $4.44. A 12 months ago the worth was $4.94. In Marin, the common fuel price is $4.55, in comparison with $5.05 last 12 months. Nationally, the common gas price is $3.05.
“It’s half a dollar cheaper. This will be a little easier on people’s wallets when they travel,” Treanor said. “It’s cheaper and that puts a little more in people’s pockets.”
Originally published:
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