Over the River and Through the Woods for Thanksgiving We Go (and Go!)
By Amy Ziff, Editor-at-Large
November 24, 2004
Two thousand and four is shaping up to be a banner year for travel, which is somewhat surprising, given the troubled state of the airline industry. But the airline industry's woes mean lots of cheap tickets to numerous markets. So maybe it’s not so surprising that more people are traveling than ever before. In fact, AAA, in its annual Thanksgiving travel predictions, says travel in 2004 will surpass the all-time record set in 2000.
This Thanksgiving, more than 37 million travelers are expected to head more than 50 miles from their homes.
It breaks down with the majority of travelers (30.6 million) driving; 12% or 4.6 million expect to fly; and a projected 2 million or 5% will take trains, buses, or another form of transit to their turkey dinners.
That means a lot of you will be on the roads, rails, and in the skies! Remember to leave plenty of time to get to your destination--being in a rush won't get you there any faster and may get you into trouble. Take mass transit where you can, try to drive at off-hours or on days when fewer people will be on the roads, and plan your route with plenty of rest stops.
If you're going to the airport, you may want to try online check in from home. Curbside baggage check and e-kiosks can also help speed up your experience. Don't forget that security is tight. You're likely to have to take off your shoes, so wear socks! Put all of your miscellaneous items in your jacket pockets (that's change, keys, cell phones, etc…) and remove it ahead of time while you're waiting in line. That way, when it's your turn, you can breeze through the metal detectors on your own.
At Travelocity, we're seeing that the top spots for travelers this Thanksgiving are the big cities: New York, Los Angeles, Orlando, Denver, and Chicago are the top five domestic destinations this year. London, Paris, and Cancun are the top three spots for those seeking to escape the more traditional Thanksgiving celebrations.
Be on the lookout, because our annual Turkey Task Force spotters will be out in full force at the nation's 25 busiest airports. And don't forget, you can find hourly updates about wait times for check-in and security, as well as some other travel highlights, by visiting www.travelocity.com throughout the day on Wednesday November 24th and Sunday November 28th.
Happy Turkey Travels! Gobble, gobble.
For the most recent travel news check out Amy Ziff's Travel Tips from AtoZ at www.travelocity.com/atoz. If you have a question or topic you would like me to cover in a future column, please e-mail Amy Ziff at ask.amy@travelocity.com ask.amy@travelocity.com. Come back monthly to see if your question has been answered.
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