DETROIT (WXYZ) — As Thanksgiving approaches, millions of Americans are gearing up to travel, and Michigan is no exception.
According to AAA, nearly 2.6 million Michiganders are expected to travel 50 miles or more this thanksgiving, beating last year's record of 2.5 million people.
This is one of the busiest holiday seasons on record to travel but don't stress; I did the work for you so you know when to hit the road and fly the skies.
Millions of Michiganders are getting ready to travel this upcoming Thanksgiving and many will be headed out of town, like truck driver Ed Davis, who will be driving.
"A lot of traffic, a lot of traffic" Ed said.
Ed says he has spent many holidays away from family and friends, but he's making it a priority to see family down in Texas.
"My last stop is Houston," Ed said. "That's where my family lives at i plan on seeing my cousins, spending some time with her during the holidays."
And when it comes to driving or flying...
"It's going to be busy out there," said Adrienne Woodland with AAA. "Busy airports, busy roads so if you are planning to travel definitely prepare."
Adrienne says this year, travel is up and many people will be leaving on Tuesday rather than the day before Thanksgiving, and she offered advice for those hitting the road locally or driving 50 miles or more.
"If you're planning on hitting the roadway, especially in Michigan right now when there's a lot of road construction going on, you may want to identify alternate routes to your destination.
In terms of traffic, the worst times to travel by car are:
- Tuesday from 1-5 p.m.
- Wednesday from 1-5 p.m.
- Friday from 7-10 a.m.
- Saturday from 4-8 p.m.
- Sunday from 12-6 p.m.
The best time to drive is on Thanksgiving Day, where there will be minimal traffic. And don't forget the airports, where travelers by the millions will be flying the skies, and if you are one of those flyers, make sure you:
- check-in early online
- Monitor your flight status using your air carrier's mobile app
- Arrive 2-3 hours before your scheduled departure.
And if you're booking a last minute flight, make sure you:
- Book a flight that leaves early in the day
- Book a direct flight
- Consider traveling on Thanksgiving Day.
"I just want to get there safely and ask people not to follow so close," Ed said. "Take your time, you'll get there."
