We are reading that Florida Thanksgiving travel will be down this year in the Sunshine State. In fact, AAA forecasts indicate that fewer Americans will be headed out. That’s mainly due to concerns over the Coronavirus.

In Florida, the expectation is that 2.8 million travelers will hit the road.

Road Trips Top Holiday Travel Plans

They tell us that the predictions are that those who decide to travel are likely to drive shorter distances and reduce the number of days they are away. This makes road trips the dominant form of travel this Thanksgiving.

Travel by automobile is projected to fall 4.3%, to 47.8 million travelers and account for 95% of all holiday travel. 

“The wait-and-see travel trend continues to impact final travel decisions, especially for the Thanksgiving holiday,” said AAA Senior Project Manager Mark Jenkins. He says the majority of travelers will go by car. Mostly, because that provides more control over social distancing. Plus, there’s more flexibility to modify holiday travel plans up until the day of departure.

Road Trip Advice

AAA reminds those hitting the road to plan their route ahead. To minimize the number of stops along the way, pack meals, extra snacks and drinks in addition to an emergency roadside kit.  Before you head out, be sure your vehicle is ready for the trip to avoid a breakdown along the way.

AAA expects to rescue more than 413,000 Americans at the roadside this Thanksgiving. AAA makes it easy to request assistance – by phone, app or online. Through it, members can track the service technicians progress as they make their way to the vehicle.

Wednesday is Busiest Day on the Roads

The highest volume of traffic will be Wednesday afternoon. Although traffic volume is expected to be less than in years’ past, travelers in major urban areas will experience increased delays at popular bottlenecks, up to 30% above normal pandemic congestion levels.

Road Trippers to Find Lower Gas Prices this Year

Although Florida Thanksgiving travel will be down, those who decide to hit the road for the holiday will find gas prices down from last year. On average, US gas prices are nearly 50 cents lower than last Thanksgiving. The national average was ($2.11) per gallon on Thursday. Thanksgiving gas prices haven’t been that low since 2015.