Chicago Could Face 'Record' Thanksgiving Traffic: Report

CHICAGO, IL — The Chicago area will experience record Thanksgiving traffic this year, according to a report released Thursday by the American Automobile Association. Traffic on Chicago roads and highways is expected to hit levels not seen in more than a decade, the report found. AAA defines the Thanksgiving holiday travel period as Wednesday, Nov. 22 to Sunday, Nov. 26.

AAA projects 50.9 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more away from home this Thanksgiving. The report predicts that travel times in some of the biggest cities in the U.S. could be up to three times longer than normal.

“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,” said AAA spokesperson Bill Sutherland in a media release.

This is also expected to be a record year for flights booked during Thanksgiving weekend at O'Hare and Midway airports. AAA said travelers are paying the cheapest average airfare since 2013, and holiday travel by air has swelled by about five percent, with 3.95 million flyers.

The global transportation analytics company INRIX teamed up with AAA to create the report. It projects that drivers will experience the greatest amount of congestion during the early evening – as early as Tuesday of Thanksgiving week – as commuters mix with holiday travelers. At its peak, drivers on Chicago’s interstates, for example, could see a delay of nearly 300 percent over the optimal trip.

Fortunately, Google has also figured out the best, and worst, times to hit Illinois' roads for the holiday.

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press