AAA says Thanksgiving travel will be back up to pre-pandemic levels this year, despite inflation

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Thanksgiving holiday travel is expected to return to similar levels seen in 2019, the year before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the U.S. This high travel is predicted despite current concerns over the economy, the lingering COVID-19, and a spike in RSV cases.

AAA said more than 950,000 Coloradans are expected to leave home this holiday and travel at least 50 miles to visit family and friends. That's up from 2021, but less than 1% fewer travelers compared to 2019.

Despite the unstable economy, travel spending is still at its highest point since the pandemic began.

Of the travelers, AAA said nearly 90% of them will drive. That's equal to 840,000 people on the road in Colorado alone.

“There’s going to be traffic. If you find yourself frustrated at traffic — remind yourself — you can’t be mad at traffic — you are traffic," said Regional Director of Public Affairs for AAA Skyler McKinley.

McKinley said to plan ahead and you still may be able to get by without hours of gridlock.

“There will be corridors along I-70 and along I-25 — specifically right outside Colorado Springs where there are going to be some chokepoints. But it’s not going to be terrible. And I would say if you want to be strategic you can avoid most of it.”

Good news for those on the roads, gas prices do seem to be trending down but AAA said to budget accordingly since several areas will spike the price during the holiday.