JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Thanksgiving travel season is officially here, and it is projected to be the busiest travel weekend ever. AAA expects more than three million Floridians to drive over 50 miles this Thanksgiving holiday.
Mike and Beverly Kinsler started their annual Thanksgiving trip to Kissimmee Friday. They left early this year to avoid the traffic.
“Traffic wasn’t bad at all, it was actually pretty good,” Beverly said.
The Kinslers were also relieved to be spending less money on gas this year.
“It’s great to save on gas any time,” Mike said.
Gas prices are the lowest they have been all year. Mark Jenkins, a spokesperson for AAA, said we can expect these prices to stick around a little while longer.
“The state average today is at a low for 2023, the lowest we've seen since last December. And so even if there is a little bit of fluctuation, I would anticipate these low gas prices to hang around through the holiday season,” Jenkins explained.
So when should you leave if you are driving to your Thanksgiving destination? The busiest times on the roads are Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon and early evening. Jenkins recommended leaving before 11 a.m. on those days or leaving earlier in the week. Jenkins also said the Sunday and Monday after Thanksgiving will be the most congested.
Jenkins added Floridians can expect to see travel times around 20% to 30% longer than normal, which means the five-and-a-half-hour trip from Jacksonville to Miami could turn into a seven hour trip.
“I would just say to those drivers out there in Florida, if you're planning on taking a road trip, leave early if you can allow extra time to get to your destination," Jenkins said.