If the travel projections hold, Thanksgiving 2023 won’t set a record — but Kansas AAA Manager of Public and Government Affairs Shawn Steward says it could be in the top five since AAA started keeping track over 20 years ago.
This would put this year’s travel period as the third-heaviest since AAA began keeping records.
Air travel will likely be up over six percent nationwide, and with that in mind, air travelers are asked to double their time ahead of their flight to account for the increased traffic and security windows. Ground travel will also be up, causing increased congestion on highways and in major cities — especially starting around Wednesday afternoon and resuming again Sunday. It’s also the peak deer collision season in rural areas.
While it may be too late to get your vehicle into your mechanic of choice, there are a few things you can do to help your vehicle be ready for longer trips, including proper tire pressures and fluid checks.
This comes as gas prices have fallen considerably since summer. Emporia had gas prices between $3.49-$3.69 a gallon for most of the summer. Now they are down to $2.76-$2.79 a gallon locally and $2.70-$2.99 per gallon areawide, but Steward cautions they may be increasing soon with OPEC discussing a cut in crude oil supply.
