Traveling for Thanksgiving? Tips on battling traffic, high gas prices and Asheville airport

People are once again hitting the road for Thanksgiving, and AAA Carolinas predicts travel will be 2% lower than before the pandemic but 13% higher than 2020.

AAA Carolinas estimates 1.5 million North Carolinians will be traveling from Nov. 24-28, 178,000 more people than last year when the CDC urged people to stay home.

Travelers headed to Asheville can expect pleasant weather, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Rodney Hinson.

Thanksgiving Day will see a high of around 60 degrees and a slight chance of rain in the evening, when temperatures will drop to the 30s.

Nationwide, 53.4 million Americans are expected to travel for the holiday, 5% less than pre-pandemic levels.

“We know that this year is going to look a lot different than last year,” AAA spokesperson Tiffany Wright said. “We’re getting back to pre-pandemic numbers. We know that airports are going to be crowded; roads and highways are going to be crowded.”

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The majority of North Carolinians, 1.4 million, will travel by car. Roughly 102,000 will fly, and 17,000 will take other means of transportation, such as buses or trains, according to AAA.

Wright said the heaviest congestion is typically the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after.

“People like to extend the holiday and leave as late as possible, so if you’re able to leave early Sunday, you’ll see less congestion,” she said, adding that Thanksgiving Day will have the least amount of traffic.

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Nationwide, drivers can expect to pay more for fuel as gas prices are the highest since 2013, according to Wright.

AAA reports North Carolina has an average gas price of $3.22 per gallon.

“While Carolinians are going to spend the most for gas in 8 years, people are still going to take road trips,” Wright said. “Road trips are going to reign supreme.”

Surrounding states Tennessee and South Carolina have a slightly lower fuel rate at about $3.12. Gas prices in Georgia and Virginia are $3.25 and $3.27, respectively, according to AAA.

Southern states Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas have among the lowest fuel prices of $3.03 to $3.07.

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While traveling by car is predicted to be the most common form of Thanksgiving travel, the biggest transportation bounce-back from the pandemic is domestic air travel, which is up 80% nationally from last year, according to AAA.

Asheville Regional Airport spokesperson Tina Kinsey said the local airport is no exception.

From Nov. 22-28, approximately 17,043 people are set to board flights out of Asheville. That’s about 62% more than in 2020, which had 10,545 departing passengers, Kinsey said.

In 2019, approximately 17,378 passengers flew out of Asheville, meaning 2021 is just shy of pre-pandemic numbers.

Kinsey said the airport’s busiest days will be Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

“We recommend arriving two hours prior to flight time,” she said. “Be aware of traffic congestion in the area that could delay drive time to the airport and be aware of all parking options at the airport.”

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Safety suggestions for traveling by road include the usual recommendations, such as obeying traffic laws and wearing seatbelts. But this year, AAA is putting a specific focus on encouraging people not to speed, Wright said.

“As more and more motorists get back to the road, we’re seeing an uptick in speeding,” she said. “I think that has to do with anxiety. We’re all excited to see people, to get back to normal, so I would tell people to pack their patience and be tolerant behind the wheel.”

Travelers can expect congestion caused by construction in Buncombe County on New Leicester Highway from Gilbert Road to Newfound Road, on the bridges over Broadway Street and Lookout Road on the future I-26, near Brevard Road on I-26 and near Hendersonville Road on I-40, according to the NC Department of Transportation.

Related: What caused the I-26 morning commute delays in S. Asheville? Lane shift set for November

Shelby Harris is a reporter covering breaking news, education and other topics. She can be reached at sharris@citizentimes.com or on Twitter @_shelbyharris.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Thanksgiving travel weather forecast in NC, gas prices, traffic tips