PHILADELPHIA – A record number of people are expected to hit the road across the country and in Philadelphia this Thanksgiving, according to AAA.
To avoid a holiday headache, here are the best and worst times to get a jump on the traffic.
When are the best times to travel?
By the numbers:
AAA estimates that 999,000 residents in the five-county Philadelphia area will travel at least 50 miles from their homes between Nov. 25 – Dec. 1.
Of those travelers, more than 890,000 will drive to their destination – which is a 2.2% increase from last year’s number.
Experts say the best time to travel depends partly on which day you plan to hit the road, but a general rule of thumb is to leave as early as possible.
Traffic on Tuesday and Wednesday figures to be the worst in the afternoon and evening, so AAA recommends heading out sometime before 11 a.m.
When are the best times to head home?
The best day to head home, according to AAA, will be the two days after Thanksgiving, when traffic isn’t expected to peak until after 1 p.m.
AAA expects Sunday to be the worst travel day, when traffic volume is supposed to be dicey from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
What they’re saying:
AAA anticipates 82M Americans will travel in the days surrounding Thanksgiving, which makes up 90% of all travel.