MILWAUKEE, Wis. — The holiday travel season is about to begin in a big way. First let's point out this number: 1.1 million Wisconsinites will travel next week for Thanksgiving. That means long lines at the airport and busy roads.
In Wisconsin, roughly 950,000 of us will take a road trip. That's about 3,000 more than last Thanksgiving.
Air travel in Wisconsin is expected to hit a new record high. Almost 107,000 people will be catching a flight.
These numbers point to an interesting trend. Despite inflation which is weighing on everyone's budget, travel is still a huge priority.
AAA says right now, travel spending is at the highest level since the pandemic began.
Higher gas prices don't seem to be changing people's travel plans. On average, Wisconsin drivers will pay 48 cents more for a gallon of gas than we were paying last Thanksgiving.
AAA has found that when gas prices are high, travelers look to offset the added cost by spending less on a hotel, shopping, or dining out.
So let's talk about the best and worst days to hit the road and head for your destination.
AAA says to expect traffic to be much heavier than normal on Wednesday starting at 11 a.m. and lasting until about 8 p.m.
Traffic should be lighter on the morning of Thanksgiving.
The bottom line here is if you're hitting the road next week, leave early.
