Officials with AAA expect 1.5 million North Carolinians to travel 50 miles or more for the Thanksgiving holiday.
The travel forecast numbers are coming pretty close to pre-pandemic levels, according to AAA spokesperson Tiffany Wright, adding people should expect heavier than normal congestion through Wednesday evening.
"So if your travel plans allow you to leave before 11 a.m. or either after 8 p.m., that's when you're probably going to see the least amount of volume," Wright said.
The best time to travel is on Thanksgiving Day and the best day to return home would be Saturday morning before 11 a.m., Wright said.
AAA estimates 12,000 more people traveling 50-miles or more in the state than last year.
We're expecting 333K flyers at RDU this Thanksgiving week, with 55K expected Wednesday and 60K expected Sunday — which would break our single-day record by 9%.
— RDU Airport (@RDUAirport) November 22, 2022
🕑 Arrive 2+ hours before your flight
🚗 Picking someone up from Terminal 2? Both upper and lower levels will be open. pic.twitter.com/6xYpTaao6a
Meanwhile, officials at Raleigh-Durham International Airport say they believe Sunday could break the 2019 single-day record, with over 59,000 passengers flying through the airport that day. Nearly 333,000 passengers are expected to fly through RDU for the Thanksgiving week.
