San Jose Airport, AAA Prepped For Record Thanksgiving Travel
SAN JOSE, CA — Travelers on trains, planes and automobiles may want to pack their patience for the Thanksgiving holiday season starting Friday. All the experts anticipate the busiest extended turkey-day holiday in the air, on the road and along the rails.
Airlines for America, an industry trade group projected a record 30.6 million passengers will travel on U.S. airlines during the 12-day stint, up from 29 million that funneled through the nation’s airports last year. The forecast translates to an estimated 2.55 million passengers per day — an increase of 137,000 daily.
Mineta San Jose International Airport will maintain all hands on deck for the bustling time period, which ends Nov. 27. The busiest days will be this Friday, next Wednesday and the Sunday after the holiday, which falls on Nov. 25. The best, lightest day to travel is Thanksgiving.
“The airport department team, SJC’s airlines and our many partners are prepared to ensure each traveler has an excellent experience, whether they are a returning customer or choosing SJC for the first time,” the airport’s Director of Aviation John Aitken said.
Aitken advises travelers plan ahead before arriving at the airport and that includes knowing where and how to park. Real-time parking may be accessed online at www.flysanjose.com/parking or by calling 408-441-5570.
As air travel continues to grow, U.S. passenger airlines have directly invested more than $115 billion in flight and ground equipment, A4A reported.
“The busy holiday travel season kicks off this week, and it is thanks to incredibly accessible and affordable flight options that more travelers than ever before are visiting loved ones, wrapping up year-end business or enjoying a vacation this Thanksgiving,” A4A Vice President and Chief Economist John Heimlich said.
Roads and rail to be busy too
AAA projects 54.3 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more away from home this Thanksgiving, a 4.8 percent increase over last year. The 2018 holiday weekend will see the highest Thanksgiving travel volume in 13 years, with 2.5 million more people taking to the nation’s roads, skies, rails and waterways compared with last year, the member-based travel and insurance company based in Walnut Creek reported.
For the 48.5 million Americans planning a Thanksgiving road trip, INRIX, a global mobility analytics company, predicts travel times in the most congested cities in the U.S. could be as much as four times longer than a normal trip.
“Consumers have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season: higher wages, more disposable income and rising levels of household wealth,” said Bill Sutherland, AAA Travel senior vice president. “This is translating into more travelers kicking off the holiday season with a Thanksgiving getaway, building on a positive year for the travel industry.”
The vast majority of travelers – 48.5 million – will hit the road this Thanksgiving, nearly 5 percent more than last year.
Travel on trains, buses and cruise ships are expected to increase by 1.4 percent, with a total 1.48 million passengers.
It’s a drivers beware: Thanksgiving’s traffic will be on steroids.
Based on historical and recent travel trends, INRIX, in collaboration with AAA, predicts drivers will experience the greatest amount of congestion Thanksgiving week during the early evening commute period, with travel times starting to increase on Monday. Drivers in San Francisco, New York City and Boston will see the largest delays – nearly quadruple normal drive times.
“Thanksgiving is one of the busiest holidays for road trips, and this year will be no different,” said Trevor Reed, transportation analyst at INRIX. “Knowing when and where congestion will build can help drivers avoid the stress of sitting in traffic. Our advice to drivers is to avoid commuting times in major cities altogether or plan alternative routes.”
The transportation analytical group pinpointed the worst time and place to travel in the San Francisco Bay Area, in particular, will be Wednesday from 1 – 3 p.m. on Interstate 680 North, between exits 8 to 21.
Other metro areas include:
INRIX also notes the worst time to fly by air in San Francisco is Monday from 5 – 7 p.m.
Motorists may scoff at paying more at the pump, as they can expect the highest Thanksgiving gas prices in four years, with a national average of $2.79 as of Nov. 1. That’s 31 cents more than a year ago.
“Motorists have become accustomed to this year’s more expensive gas prices and won’t let higher fuel costs deter them from taking Thanksgiving road trips,” said AAA gas price expert Jeanette Casselano.
AAA adds most travelers booked their flights for Thanksgiving between Sept. 23 and Oct.25, paying an average ticket price of $478 roundtrip.
Still, travelers can expect to save on car rentals this Thanksgiving holiday season. At $63, the average daily rate is 10 percent less than last year, according to AAA’s Leisure Travel Index.
Travelers can also save on AAA Three Diamond hotels, with an average nightly rate of $166, a decline of six percent compared to last year. Conversely, the average rate for AAA Two Diamond hotels has increased six percent with an average nightly cost of $124.
Top 10 Thanksgiving Destinations
Many travelers will seek iconic American cities, theme parks and other warm-weather destinations this Thanksgiving. Orlando, New York City and Anaheim top this year’s top 10 holiday destinations based on AAA’s online and travel agency air and tour bookings. Punta Cana, Dallas/Fort Worth and Miami are all gaining popularity as holiday spots compared with last year.
–Images via Shutterstock