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WILKES-BARRE — If you have a trip planned to visit family on Thanksgiving, you will not be alone.
AAA Mid-Atlantic estimates that more than 51,000 residents of the Wilkes-Barre area, or 13.4 percent, will travel 50 miles or more over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The Thanksgiving holiday travel period is defined as Wednesday, Nov. 24 to Sunday, Nov. 29.
Of those travelers, 89 percent will get to their destination by car.
“This Thanksgiving, more Americans will carve out time to visit friends and family since 2007,” said Jana Tidwell, manager of public and government affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic. “While many people remain cautious about the economy and their finances, many thankful Americans continue to put a premium on traveling to spend the holiday with loved ones.”
Nationally, AAA predicts that 46.9 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more during the holiday, marking the seventh consecutive year for growth in Thanksgiving travel.
Those traveling by car will likely enjoy the lowest Thanksgiving gas prices in five years, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic.
In a graphic provided by AAA, the average gas price for Thanksgiving day in 2014 was $2.80 per gallon. Wilkes-Barre’s average gas prices is at $2.29 today, unchanged overnight and down 3 cents in the last week.
Last year on Nov. 25, Wilkes-Barre’s average gas price was $2.81 per gallon.