Family Life

11.16.12 | Sarah Harnisch

45-million Americans will be traveling over the Thanksgiving Day week. The numbers are down slightly this year, but not by much. The average family is doling out about 500-dollars this week to travel, spending a little less then last year. Experts say people, having spent more on gas then they planned, still want to travel for the Thanksgiving Day holiday, but they will reduce the distance they travel, and favor an automobile over an airline ticket. Most are traveling less then 50 miles. Three million people will take to the skies, the fewest since 2009. More are taking the train, boarding buses, and cruise ships this year. But the good old fashioned road trip in a car is how 90-percent of Americans will be getting around.

The good news is that gas prices nationally are now under 3-50 a gallon. It means prices will be just about where they were last year for Thanksgiving. In New York, a gallon of regular gasoline will cost you 3-94 this weekend. It's 3-61 a gallon in Pennsylvania. If you're trying to avoid the businest travel day of the year, that's this coming Tuesday.