Gas prices could continue to go lower next year, he explained, due to supply increases after sanctions against Iran are lifted.
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Among the reasons given for the travel increase are an improving economy and the cheapest gasoline for this time of year since 2008. An expanded version of America’s annual Thanksgiving travel saga was under way Wednesday with gas prices low and terrorism fears high. About 150,000 people will go through their doors this Wednesday before Thanksgiving, which is about 30,000 more than a normal day.
Though the USA terror alert status remains unchanged, recent attacks in Paris, West Africa and elsewhere prompted the State Department to warn American travelers about the risks overseas.
A record 2.1 million passengers are expected to pass through LAX over the 11-day Thanksgiving holiday travel period that began late last week, a jump of 6.9 percent over last year’s record of 1.96 million passengers.
They predict about 1.3 million North Carolinians are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home during the Thanksgiving holiday and about 90 percent of those travelers will drive.
“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. “Auto travel volume tends to be evenly spread out over the five day holiday, but airports are especially busy on Wednesday and Sunday”. This has helped boost disposable income, enabling many Americans to travel this Thanksgiving.
Using data for selected major USA metropolitan areas recently surveyed by the EIA, the report also noted that retail gasoline prices as of November 23rd ranged from a low of $1.83/g in Houston, Texas to $2.79/g in Los Angeles, California.
During the busy holiday, airport officials say police will shoo drivers away from the curb.
The government projects average gas prices to drop to $2.06 per gallon across the country next month.
He said the lower gas prices are “definitely” beneficial for him, even though he would be traveling anyway.
Keep large packages, or anything else that could become a projectile during a sudden stop, in the trunk. The average rate for an AAA two diamond rated hotel has risen 4 percent with an average nightly cost of $118.
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Tim Gonda said he is a regular day-before-Thanksgiving driver.
