Tips when traveling by road, air or rail

Rob Lovitt Travel writer • E-mail

Thirty eight million.

According to the folks at AAA, that’s the estimated number of Americans who will travel more than 50 miles over the Thanksgiving holiday this year. If historical statistics hold true, that means approximately 31 million will drive, 5 million will fly, and 2 million will take the train or other transportation.

In other words, it will only feel like all 38 million are in front of you in line.

They won’t be, of course, but with the busiest travel period upon us, you should still be prepared for hassles and delays. With airfares up, gas prices down, and security measures more confusing than ever, planning ahead is paramount. Whether you’re heading for home, going to Grandma’s, or getting together with friends, here’s a look at what to expect along the way:

On the road
A few years ago, the U.S. Department of Transportation determined that the average long-distance driving trip for Thanksgiving was 214 miles (round trip). Hit the road at the wrong time and what would normally be a few hours’ drive can feel like days.

Not surprisingly, traffic is typically at its worst on Wednesday afternoon as homebound commuters, working truckers, and holiday travelers come together like herds of turtles sporting garlands of red lights. If you can, go Tuesday and you’ll beat the other holiday drivers. If not, wait until Thursday morning and you’ll miss most of the commuters and truckers.

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When it’s time to head home, Friday may be your best bet. People who travel short distances for their turkey tend to eat, veg out for a few hours, and beat feet on Thursday evening. Those who go further often stay the weekend, enjoying extra family time and a few more leftovers. Split the difference and your biggest problem may be avoiding getting run over by the sales-crazed masses heading for the mall.

As for gas, the good news is that prices have come down substantially from the summer, dropping from a national average of $2.98 in July to $2.20 in early November. The bad news is they probably won’t slip any further.

In the air
Get ready for a bit of turbulence. With more people flying and no increase in the number of flights, planes are flying fuller than ever. Worse yet, more of your seatmates will likely be infrequent flyers, traveling for the first time since the latest round of security measures were implemented in October. Add in high turnover at TSA (translation: more inexperienced screeners), and you’ve got a perfect storm of stress and frustration.

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