VA Thanksgiving 2017: Travel Times, Gas Prices, Weather Forecast

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Northern Virginia's roads are likely to be jam-packed with Thanksgiving traffic this week, and AAA projects 45.5 million Americans will hit the road for the holiday, up 3.2 percent compared with last year. Roads in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C., region could be among the most congested in the country, with an increase of 1.5 percent this Thanksgiving compared with last year, according to state officials.

"The 2017 holiday weekend will see the highest Thanksgiving travel volume since 2005 with 1.6 million more people taking to the nation's roads, skies, rails and waterways compared with last year," AAA Mid-Atlantic said in a statement.

AAA expects most drivers will pay the highest Thanksgiving gas prices since 2014, when the national average was $2.80, but the vast majority of holiday travelers are still planning to hit the road. On Tuesday, the national average for regular gasoline is $2.54 per gallon, an increase of 8 cents from the previous month's price and 40 cents higher than last year's price of $2.14. Virginia's average is $2.30 per gallon on Nov 21.

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• Thanksgiving 2017: Record Travel, Tips From Washington's Airports
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More Thanksgiving travel facts to know from AAA:

• Cheaper airfare: Consumers will pay the cheapest average airfare since 2013.
• Fueling up: Drivers will pay the highest Thanksgiving gas prices since 2014.
• Holiday high: Car rental daily rates will hit a five-year holiday high at $70/day, which may be due to an increase in domestic demand and cost of newer vehicles.

While rain is expected to hug the Atlantic coast, and could lead to airline delays in Boston and New York City for a time on Wednesday, according to an Accuweather release, Virginia will see clearing skies as Wednesday goes along. And the weather on Thanksgiving and Friday will be clear, if cool, with high temperatures in mid-40s to low 50s.

Here's some more important info if you'll be hitting the road this Thanksgiving.

Hitting the Highway

• To help drivers avoid the traffic, the Virginia Department of Transportation is lifting lane closures where possible this weekend. The department will suspend most highway work zones and lift lane closures on interstates and other major roads in Virginia for Thanksgiving travel from noon Wednesday, Nov. 22 until noon Monday, Nov. 27.
• The agency has a Thanksgiving travel-trends map that shows past congestion to help you plan your trip. This year’s map also shows expected congestion in northern Virginia on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.

Best Time To Leave

At peak travel times — in Virginia, Google says that's 3 p.m. Wednesday — drivers could experience serious delays. Drivers should leave a 3 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 22, to avoid the congestion, according to the company's results.

When you're on your way home, an early start on Friday is your best bet, which doesn't give you much time at grandmother's house. Get going at 4 a.m. on Friday and you'll be in good shape. Wait until Saturday at 4 p.m., though, and a stuffing-and-cranberries hangover won't be your only problem.

At the Airport

From Nov. 17-28, more than 28.5 million passengers are expected to travel on U.S. airlines for the Thanksgiving holiday, up 3 percent from 2016, says the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. According to a news release, the busiest travel days are expected to be Sunday, Nov. 26, Wednesday, Nov. 22, and Friday, Nov. 17, while the lightest is expected to be Thanksgiving Day.

• Consider your options – Reagan National and Dulles International are both accessible via car, taxi, ride share services and public transit. Reagan National is accessed directly by Metrorail on the Blue and Yellow lines, while Dulles International is connected to the Silver line via the Washington Flyer Silver Line Express bus. Choose the most convenient or most economical option for you and your family.
• Park with confidence – Reagan National and Dulles International provide economy, daily and hourly parking options depending on the length of your travels. Keep in mind certain lots at Reagan National may fill up on peak travel days, so ensure you're able to park by reserving a parking space in advance online.
• Leave early — The Airports Authority recommends arriving at the airport at least two hours before domestic departures and three hours before international departures.
• The Transportation Security Administration says these are the peak travel times with the longest waits:
  • Tuesday, 6 to 8 am and 3 to 5 pm
  • Wednesday, 6 to 8 am and 4 to 5 pm
  • Thursday, 5 to 8 am and 4 to 7 pm
  • Friday, 5 to 8 am and 3 to 5 pm

Gas prices

GasBuddy predicts that the national average gas price this Thanksgiving will be $2.53 per gallon, the highest it's been since 2014, though not as high as the peak on Thanksgiving in 2012 ($3.44). In Virginia, the average gas price was $2.30 per gallon as of Monday afternoon, lower than the national average of $2.533.

Prices in the Washington DC area ranged from $2.73 to $2.23 a gallon on Tuesday, according to GasBuddy. In Fredericksburg, gas was selling for $2.30 to $2.06 a gallon.

GasBuddy offers some tips to cut the cost of filling up:

• Watch out for state lines. Because of differing state taxes, in some extreme cases, drivers can spend an extra $25 when refueling the tank if on the wrong side of the line according to a recent GasBuddy study.
• Avoid gas stations near the highway. Gas station on a long stretch of highway will usually be pricey. If possible, plan ahead or drive a little farther toward the nearest town to find a cheaper station.

Help On The Road
Before setting out for the weekend, drivers can download the free AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android at AAA.com/mobile. The app offers anyone access to map a route, find lowest gas prices, and search for AAA approved repair facilities, while AAA members can access exclusive member discounts, make travel arrangements, and request AAA roadside assistance, as well.

VDOT is offering an upgraded 511 app to help you plan and navigate your trip; real-time traffic information can also be found online at 511Virginia.org.

• Online information about Virginia traffic is available at 511Virginia.org. Download the free mobile VDOT 511 app, or call 511 from any phone.
• To report a road problem or get answers to your transportation questions, call VDOT’s Customer Service Center at 800-FOR-ROAD (800-367-7623) around the clock.

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