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More People From New England Traveling This Thanksgiving

Bradley Internation Windsor Locks, Connecticut.
Jeff Cohen
/
WNPR
Bradley Internation Windsor Locks, Connecticut.

About three percent more New Englanders will be taking a trip this Thanksgiving than last year, whether it's by car or airplane.

As for the the skies, AAA is predicting a 5% spike in people flying this year.

Sandra Marsian with AAA Pioneer Valley said it's unusual to see such a jump from year to year.

"Typically, air is more expensive — especially if you're with a family, that can really start to add up," Marsian said. "To see a 5% spike is impactful from my perspective as to what we've seen over the years. That's not typical."

At Bradley International Airport, officials say they've been working with airlines and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to prepare for the rush of travelers.

"We're expecting to see about approximately 10 to 15% more passengers than what we normally would see during our regular travel period," said Alisa Sisic, a spokeswoman for the Connecticut Airport Authority.

Sisic said the day before Thanksgiving and the following weekend are generally the busiest times at Bradley.

Marsian said most people from New England traveling for Thanksgiving will drive, with 2.1 million expected to hit the roads. That's an increase of nearly 3%.

Marsian said the afternoon rush hour on Wednesday is typically the worst time to be in the car. She urges drivers to consider taking their trips at another time, and said Thanksgiving day is often a good time to go.

Copyright 2019 New England Public Media

Adam is based at New England Public Radio’'s Berkshire County news bureau in Pittsfield, where he has been since August, 2015. He joined NEPR as a freelance reporter and fill-in operations assistant during the summer of 2011. For more than 15 years, Adam has had a number stops throughout his broadcast career, including as a news reporter and anchor, sports host and play-by-play announcer as well as a producer and technician.