More Miami Motorists Expected to Travel Over Thanksgiving

With cheap gas prices, an economic upswing and an overall boost in consumer confidence, more Miamians are likely to take planes, trains and automobiles to get somewhere this Thanksgiving.

Whether you plan to visit family locally in the Miami area — everywhere from Aventura, Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest, Cutler Bay, Palmetto Bay and Miami Beach, or you simply want to take in the breathtaking views from downtown Miami alone with your turkey drumstick — chances are there will be more people traveling with you this year than last, according to AAA.

Floridians represent 2.5 million of the 48.7 million Americans who are expected to travel by all modes of transportation between Wednesday Nov. 23 and Sunday Nov. 27. As in other years, the peak travel days are expected to be Wednesday and Sunday. That represents an increase of 1.9 percent in the United States and includes a 5 percent jump across the state of Florida.

AAA Auto Club South estimates that some 2,293,620 Floridians will drive to their turkey destinations this year. The national estimate of those traveling by vehicle is a whopping 43.5 million people.

Across the country some 3.7 million people are expected to fly to their destinations. Those expected to use “other” travel, such as trains, will be about 1.4 million.

“This is the most traveled holiday of the year, and as usual, there is an emphasis on road trips,” explained Joseph J. Richardson Jr., president and CEO of AAA. “If you are one of the 43.5 million people on the road, we urge you to be patient in traffic and limit distractions while behind the wheel.”

Driving remains the most popular way for people to get to their holiday destinations. And, for those who plan to do so, there’s good news on gas prices. The national average for a gallon of gas in expected to be the second-cheapest at Thanksgiving time in almost a decade.

“Gas prices are now on a similar course as last year, due in large part to lower oil prices,” added AAA’s Mark Jenkins. “On this day last year, Florida pump prices began a streak of declines that continued through the end of the month, with the state average falling from $2.20 to $2.07. Whether that happens again will depend on which direction oil prices go from here.”

Should last year’s trend repeat itself, “regular unleaded will be the cheapest since 2008, when the national average was $1.85,” AAA estimated.

Image from Florida Department of Transportation

Patch editor Sherri Lonon contributed to this article.