Every year, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday
The US is celebrating Thanksgiving Day today, November 23, wherein millions of families and friends come together to share a traditional turkey dinner. Thanksgiving also marks the start of the holiday travel season and this year is expected to be the busiest ever. As per NBC News, nearly 4 million people will be on the road in Southern California for their Thanksgiving destinations. Several pictures and videos have surfaced on social media showing roads clogged with vehicles in Los Angeles.
Another video showed a Los Angeles highway littered with cars traveling for Thanksgiving. The aerial video showed cars moving at a snail's speed with barely any pavement in sight. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), drivers on Wednesday saw an 88 percent increase in their estimated travel time amid the peak travel congestion. Traffic around Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) was also busy on Tuesday night.
''The day before Thanksgiving is notoriously one of the most congested days on our roadways. Travelers should be prepared for long delays, especially in and around major metros,'' said Bob Pishue, transportation analyst, as per CBS News.
Last week, American Automobile Association predicted that 55.4 million Americans would be travelling for Thanksgiving, CNN reported. That's an increase of 2.3 percent over last year and the third-highest forecast since the agency started tracking holiday travel in 2000. Falling gas prices and airfares have made travel more affordable as inflation has eased.
''The travel rebound after the pandemic continues with more Americans taking a trip to see loved ones or new destinations. The most popular mode of travel for this and all holidays is the motor vehicle, with Americans set to benefit from lower gasoline prices compared to a year ago,'' said Mark Schieldrop, American Automobile Association Northeast Senior Spokesperson.
This Thanksgiving travel period is also the most chaotic time for air travel. The Tuesdays and Wednesdays before Thanksgiving are the busiest air travel days and the most expensive. On Tuesday, 2.6 million passengers were screened at airport security checkpoints, the highest ever for the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, according to the U.S. Transportation Security Administration.