1.4M Virginians to hit the road for the Thanksgiving holiday

Better factor in traffic to your Thanksgiving holiday plans.

According to AAA, a projected 1.4 million Virginians are planning to travel 50 miles or more on Thanksgiving to celebrate with loved ones.

This is an increase of 44,000 people – a 3.2% increase over last year, according to AAA.

AAA is also projected that across the United States, 51 million will travel somewhere for the holiday week or weekend – which is defined as November 22 to November 26.

“The holiday season will be in full swing next week with more people taking to the nation’s roads, skies, rails and waterways compared with last year. A strong economy and labor market are generating rising incomes and higher consumer confidence, fueling a strong year for the travel industry, which will continue into the holiday season,” stated AAA Mid-Atlantic Manager of Public and Government Affairs Martha Mitchell Meade in a release.

AAA Thanksgiving Holiday Forecast Highlights

	Total Travel & Percentage	Automobile Travel & Percentage	Air Travel & Percentage	Other Modes Of Travel & Percentage
Virginia	1,406,860 Virginians Up 3.2 percent from 1,362,916 in 2016	1,272,888 (90.5 percent) Up 3.2 percent from 1,233,897 in 2016	103,217 (7.3 percent) Up 4.5 percent from 98,764 in 2016	30,755 (2.2 percent) Up 0.5 percent from 30,587 in 2016
National	50,904,000 Americans Up 3.3 percent from 49,282,000 in 2016	45,468,000 (89 percent) Up 3.2 percent from 44,048,000 in 2016	3,954,000 (8 percent) Up 5 percent from 3,767,000 in 2016	1,483,000 (3 percent) Up 1.1 percent from 1,427,000 in 2016