ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOV) – On what is expected to be the busiest day of Thanksgiving travel on the roadways, some drivers passing through the St. Louis area got a head start Wednesday.
“We wanted to beat the rush,” said Josh Polasek. “We’re driving from Michigan to Kansas. It’s about 900 miles, 13 hours. We left at 6 p.m. [Tuesday], it’s now 4 a.m., and have about 300 miles left.”
Polasek is doing exactly what AAA recommends: leave for a destination before 11 a.m. the Wednesday before Thanksgiving to beat the travel rush and avoid roadways from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Drivers passing through the Wally’s travel stop in Fenton off I-44 Wednesday morning told First Alert 4 they’re glad they left early.
“This is our first time driving at nighttime. Typically, we drive during the daytime, but it’s actually been a lot better now,” Polasek said.
“It’s been smooth – just us and the truckers!” Polasek’s wife, Jodi, said.
AAA projects more than 49 million travelers will drive 50 miles or more from home from Wednesday through Sunday. This year’s Thanksgiving forecast is an increase of 2.3% over last year and marks the third-highest Thanksgiving forecast since AAA began tracking holiday travel in 2000. The top two years were 2005 and 2019, respectively.
“For many Americans, Thanksgiving and travel go hand in hand, and this holiday, we expect more people on the roads, skies, and seas compared to 2022,” said Paula Twidale, Senior Vice President of AAA Travel. “Travel demand has been strong all year, and AAA’s Thanksgiving forecast reflects that continued desire to get away and spend time with loved ones.”
The travel rush comes as gas prices in Missouri sit below the national average. In Illinois, they’re above. A gallon of regular gas in Missouri averaged $2.89 Wednesday morning, while the average in Illinois sat at $3.45. That’s compared to the national average of $3.28.
“It’s still cheaper than flying,” Jodi Polasek said. “And we’ve got young kids, so it just made sense.”
“My sister flew to Texas,” Laura Norman told First Alert 4. Norman was stopping for gas at Wally’s on her way to Texas from Ohio. “[My sister] ended up spending $600 on a ticket and $200 to check her bag. She got there, but her luggage isn’t there, and now she’s stuck in Dallas. I chose to drive because I love road trips,” Norman said.
St. Louis Lambert International Airport is expecting a high volume of passengers, as well, with more than 200,000 people expected to be screened from Friday, Nov. 17 to Tuesday, Nov. 28.
AAA details the average cost of travel:
FLIGHTS
The average price for a domestic flight is $681, up 5% from 2022.
The average price for an international flight is $1,231, down 5.7% from last year.
HOTELS
The average price for a domestic hotel stay is $598, down 12% from 2022.
The average price for an international hotel stay is $772, up 5% from last year.
RENTAL CARS
The average price for a domestic rental car reservation is $590, down 20% from 2022.
The average price for an international rental car reservation is $696, up 9% from last year.
Drivers passing through Wally’s made it clear to First Alert 4 that despite travel costs, they’re thankful to be with their families.
To find the cheapest gas near you, click here.
Copyright 2023 KMOV. All rights reserved.
Drivers pass through STL metro Wednesday, get ahead of holiday travel rush
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