What to know before you go out of town this Thanksgiving

The first step for planning a Thanksgiving holiday getaway is to allow extra time and bring lots of patience.

Nearly 47 million Americans – about 1.35 million from North Carolina – are expected to venture 50 miles or more from home from Wednesday to Sunday, AAA estimates.

That’s the highest number of travelers nationally since 2007 and a 0.6 percent increase over last year.

So allow extra time and bring lots of patience.

On the road

A car trip is still expected to be the most popular way of going. The price of regular gasoline is down nicely, to $2.07 per gallon in Charlotte compared with $2.73 a year ago, according to AAA Carolinas.

The lower prices may encourage more people to feast at someone else’s table, said Tiffany Wright, spokeswoman for AAA Carolinas.

“Consumers are still remaining cautious about their finances,” she said of post-recession travelers. “However, gas prices remain well below the 2014 levels, which provides an early holiday bonus.”

While there’s little chance of avoiding traffic with so many people out there, you can miss the heaviest travel days. Those are usually the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after.

“Typically Thanksgiving Day is sometimes the better day to travel,” Wright said.

The N.C. Department of Transportation will stop work on most road projects across the state to help keep traffic flowing and keep long lines of cars idling in traffic jams, reducing gas consumption and spending by motorists.

Crews on state projects along interstates, state roads and U.S. routes will take a break from 6 a.m. Wednesday until midnight Sunday.

There are some exceptions to the state’s stop-work orders. Work will continue on the Interstate-40/Interstate 440 Fortify project, which will rebuild an 11.5-mile stretch of I-40 and I-440 in southern Raleigh. Travel will be limited to three lanes in both directions for 8.5 miles.

Check road conditions before you leave home. Get updates from NCDOT’s Travel section at www.ncdot.gov/travel or get updates on Twitter, @NCDOT.

At the airport

While most people will travel by car, officials at Charlotte Douglas International Airport are expecting near-record crowds and long lines during Thanksgiving week. It’s typically the airport’s busiest time of year.

With airport traffic at a peak, arrive two hours before your flight and you’re less likely to end up frazzled. Remember, the terminal will be crowded with families and infrequent fliers who might not be familiar with getting through security or other parts of the airport efficiently.

You’ll enter the airport on a new, one-way looping entrance road. It’s accessible from Wilkinson Boulevard, Interstate 85 and Billy Graham Parkway.

The average domestic airfare from Charlotte was almost $464 in the first quarter this year, the most recent quarter for which national data were available. That’s an increase of 7 percent from the same quarter last year, and 19 percent higher than the national average of $388.

But don’t rule out finding bargains, Wright said. A travel agent might still find a deal or two, Wright said.

“Prices tend to be higher closer to the holiday, but there are deals still out there,” she said.

Other trips

Fewer people are expected to choose other forms of transportation such as trains and buses. Last year more than 37,000 North Carolinians chose to travel with these types of carriers, but a 1.4 percent drop is expected here for 2015, AAA Carolinas estimates.

Make a reservation now if you intend to rent a car. More travelers will mean more demand, even though prices are expected to be higher. Renters will pay an average of $60, AAA estimates, about 8 percent more than last year.

Hotel room rates may rise slightly, AAA estimates based on prices at its three-diamond facilities. Travelers are spending about $155 per night on average, up only about a dollar over last year.

This story was originally published November 23, 2015 at 11:02 AM with the headline "What to know before you go out of town this Thanksgiving."