Americans hit the road on busiest travel day of the year

(NewsNation Now) — The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is typically the busiest travel day of the year, and Americans are heading out in record numbers. 

People who are prepared are going to be better off, whether it’s going to the airport two hours early or getting on the road while it’s still dark.

“Get up early and take it easy,” one intrepid traveler said in an interview during “Morning in America.” “Take your time, be safe and enjoy the holiday.”

AAA is expecting 48.3 million people on the roads this season and 4.2 million people in the air as Americans are now making treks they had to put off last year during lockdowns.

The national average for the price of gas is sitting at around $3.40 per gallon.

People in states like Wisconsin or Texas are getting a decent bang for their buck. It’s a little pricier in Ohio and Minnesota and it’s bad news for the whole West Coast and Pennsylvania out east.

The busiest highways and byways are nothing new to residents of the nation’s largest cities.

Among the worst projected congestion, I-5 in Los Angeles, I-85 in Atlanta and I-495 in New York. Those interstates are expected to be 482% busier than usual during rush hour today, according to AAA.

Regardless of where you’re headed or how you’re getting there, stay safe and get out there early if you can.