US: Thanksgiving holiday travelers will have lots of company

Whether by car, plane, train or bus, more Americans are expected to travel this Thanksgiving holiday than in previous years, jamming airports, roads and rails and testing the patience of fellow travelers. According to AAA, nearly 51m Americans — the highest number in 12 years — are expected to venture 50 miles or more from home, a 3.3% increase over last year. In the Washington region alone, 1.2m people are expected to be on the move for the holiday. AAA defines the holiday travel period as Wednesday through Sunday. “A strong economy and labour market are generating rising incomes and higher consumer confidence, fueling a strong year for the travel industry,” said Bill Sutherland, a AAA senior VP. He said the trend will probably extend through the remainder of the holiday season. Airlines for America predicts that between Nov. 17 and Nov. 28, more than 28.5m people will fly on US airlines. AAA also says Americans will pay the lowest holiday airfares since 2013.<br/>