Nov. 18 – WILKES-BARRE – AAA Projects 79.9 million travelers will travel 50 miles or more from home during the Thanksgiving travel period.
For this forecast, the Thanksgiving travel period is defined by AAA as the seven-day period from Tuesday, November 26 to Monday, December 2.
This is the first year the Thanksgiving forecast has used a longer time frame, including the Tuesday before the holiday and the Monday after. Historically, AAA only looked at Wednesday through Sunday.
This year’s projection of almost 80 million travelers is an increase of 1.7 million people compared to last year and 2 million more than in 2019.
“Thanksgiving is the busiest holiday for travel, and this year we expect to set new records across the board, from driving to flying and cruising,” said Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel Services. “Americans reconnect with family and friends during Thanksgiving, and travel is a big part of that. AAA travel demand continues to rise post-pandemic, with our members looking for new adventures and unforgettable vacations.”
By road
BAAA expects a record 71.7 million people will travel by car this Thanksgiving – that’s 1.3 million more travelers on the road compared to last year.
This year’s numbers also surpass pre-pandemic numbers when 70.6 million people drove to their Thanksgiving destinations in 2019.
Gasoline prices are lower this Thanksgiving season compared to 2023. The national average last Thanksgiving Day was $3.26. Falling oil prices this fall could push the national average below $3 a gallon for the first time since 2021, and that could happen before motorists hit the road for Thanksgiving.
Regionally, motorists east of the Rockies in more than a dozen states will find gasoline between $2.25 and $2.50 per gallon.
AAA car rental partner Hertz says Atlanta, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Oahu, Orlando and Phoenix are the cities with the highest rental demand for the Thanksgiving holiday.
The busiest car pick-up day is expected to be the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and the busiest car drop-off days are the Monday and Tuesday after the holiday.
Air travel
Thanksgiving air travel is also expected to set a new record. AAA projects 5.84 million people will fly domestically this holiday. That is an increase of 2% compared to last year and an increase of almost 11% compared to 2019.
According to booking data from AAA, air travelers are paying 3% more for domestic Thanksgiving flights this year, while flight bookings are similar to last year. International flight bookings are up 23% compared to last Thanksgiving, in part because the cost of flying internationally has fallen 5%.
Other ways of traveling
Nearly 2.3 million people are expected to travel by other modes of transportation, including buses, cruises and trains.
This category is up almost 9% from last year and up 18% from 2019, largely due to the popularity of cruising. Demand for cruises has skyrocketed after the pandemic. Domestic and international cruise bookings are up 20% compared to last Thanksgiving.
Best/worst times to drive
INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, says the worst times to travel by car during Thanksgiving are Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons. The best time to hit the road is Thanksgiving Day itself, when highways are usually clear.
Drivers returning home on Sunday should leave early in the morning, and those returning on Monday can expect a mix of travelers and work commuters on the road.
PA Insurance Department publishes extensive research aimed at improving healthcare
To improve access to health care services across the Commonwealth, the Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID) this week released the results of a study on the accuracy of health insurer directories.
This data – among the first of its kind collected by any state – shines a light on persistent inaccuracies in provider directories that can delay care, hinder scheduling or result in unexpected out-of-network costs.
By law, insurers are required to maintain current, accurate provider directories that list health care providers, hospitals and clinics in their networks.
However, when these registries are inaccurate, people are often left to navigate misinformation that impacts their access to timely in-network care.
Because inaccuracies in provider directories are becoming a widespread problem nationwide, PID initiated this study to collect Pennsylvania-specific data and better understand the scope of the problem.
The study analyzed the provider directories of all insurers operating in Pennsylvania’s Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace, revealing consistent inaccuracies that impact consumers and highlighting the need for targeted reforms.
The research included a survey of nearly 7,000 healthcare providers listed in Pennsylvania’s ACA Marketplace directories, which found that these inaccuracies often persist over time and do not meet the requirements of recent federal legislation.
Findings include:
—Only 13% of provider lists surveyed had accurate contact information.
—Up to 44% of providers were unreachable due to incorrect information.
—Significant differences in accuracy were noted between carriers, with some variations by provider specialty as well
The inaccuracies in these directories create significant challenges for consumers seeking in-network care and reduce the effectiveness of surveillance efforts. The most common inaccuracies involve outdated contact information and incorrect specialty listings, which can mislead patients and lead to delays in care and unexpected costs.
“Insurance company guides need to be accurate, period,” said Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Michael Humphreys. “This report reveals a troubling picture of the doctor lists Pennsylvanians rely on to find providers in their network and schedule medical appointments. It presents us with clear opportunities to make meaningful improvements.”
With this data, PID aims to work with insurers and healthcare stakeholders to address these issues.
The state is launching a program to feed more students and increase healthy breakfast options
The Pennsylvania Department of Education announced this week that the second annual Governor’s School Breakfast Challenge will begin in January.
Last year, 37 schools successfully completed the challenge by increasing the number of students eating breakfast at school and adding healthier breakfast options for children.
“The key to healthy development is eating a nutritious breakfast every morning, and Pennsylvania schools are helping their students start their day right with a free breakfast in the classroom,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Khalid N. Mumin. “Last year’s Governor’s School Breakfast Challenge helped increase breakfast participation by 10 million meals, and we encourage even more schools to participate in the Challenge this year.”
Last school year, 91.4 million breakfast meals were served in schools, an increase of nearly 10 million meals since the 2022-2023 school year. More than 7 million of those breakfasts were served to students at risk of going hungry or from low-income families.
The Governor’s School Breakfast Challenge is a three-month program to encourage increased participation in the Universal Free Breakfast Program and recognize schools for increasing breakfast participation while making sustainable changes that promote more nutritious and local foods in include their meal offering.
By 2024, 37 schools will have successfully completed the Challenge.
PennDOT will hold a public hearing on the Kidder/Mundy Streets project on November 25
PennDOT has scheduled a public hearing to solicit public comment on a project that aims to improve roadways and capacity on Kidder Street, Mundy Street, Valley Crest Boulevard and the interchange ramps at Exit 1 of the Cross Valley Expressway.
PennDOT invites the public to virtual and public plan showings related to the project – Kidder Street & Mundy Street Crossroads Improvement Partnership – and the public plan showing will be held at the Plains Township Fox Hill Firehouse No. 2 Building, 50 Second St., Plains, Township, on November 25, from 6 p.m.
PennDOT said the project work includes roadway widening, construction of a new interchange, traffic signal construction, drainage improvements, stormwater management basins, retaining wall construction, highway lighting and other improvements.
The project is managed and offered as a “local” project through PennDOT Engineering District 4.
Construction is expected to begin in fall 2025 and be completed in fall 2027.
The virtual plan view is available online from November 18 to December 9.
PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll said the project is “another example of how we are delivering transportation improvements to communities across the state.”
Online information, including the proposed detour route, detailed project information and comment form, can be found at the following PennDOT Engineering District 4 website: Route 6309 Kidder Street and Route 2061 Mundy Street Crossroads Improvement Project (pa.gov).
PennDOT said the purpose of the plan display is to introduce the project, display and describe the planned detour, and obtain public input on questions or concerns about the project.
The public is encouraged to respond to the public questionnaire and provide comments by clicking on the public questionnaire.
PennDOT said the project documents may be made available in alternative languages or formats upon request. If you require translation/tolling services or have special needs or concerns that require individual attention, please contact Lou Spaciano PE, Project Manager, at 570-221-4924, or lspaciano@verdantas.com.
Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
