Despite high gas prices, records likely to be set

Nearly 1 million Coloradans are expected to hit the roads, skies, rails and waterways this year for Thanksgiving trips, even though gas prices are the highest in four years, a roadside assistance company says.

AAA Colorado projects nearly 930,000 Coloradans will journey 50 miles or more away from home this Thanksgiving, a 7 percent increase over the number of Thanksgiving travelers in 2017.

“Higher wages, more disposable income and rising levels of household wealth are having a big impact: More travelers are kicking off the holiday season with a Thanksgiving getaway, building on the brightest year for the travel industry since 2005,” said Skyler McKinley, AAA Colorado spokesman.

The vast majority of Colorado travelers — 810,000 — will hit the road this Thanksgiving, more than 8 percent from last year, AAA Colorado projects.

They will shell out more this year for gasoline.

In Colorado, the statewide average runs $2.73 for a gallon of regular, up 18 cents from this time last year and 10 cents a gallon higher than the national average, AAA Colorado reports. Motorists filling up in Vail will pay the most per gallon, at $3.20, while those passing through Colorado Springs will pay the least at $2.63.

Nearly 60,000 Coloradans will travel by air for Thanksgiving, with 4.27 million Americans taking to the skies in total. That’s the most Thanksgiving air travel since 2007. Another 60,000 Coloradans will hop on trains, buses and cruise ships, AAA Colorado predicts.

In Colorado, those heading to Denver International Airport will spend some time on the road. Travelers should budget drive times from downtown to DIA via eastbound Interstate 70 and Peña Boulevard of 55 minutes or more.

Officials at the airport anticipate 1.2 million travelers over the holiday weekend, which is about 10 percent more than last year. Sunday, Nov. 25 will be the busiest with 205,000 passengers, and Saturday could break DIA’s record for that day of the week with more than 199,000 travelers.

AAA attributes the robust Thanks-

giving travel to strong economic growth, which is expected to increase 3.1 percent from the fourth quarter of 2017 to this year’s fourth quarter, McKinley says.

“Thanksgiving is one of the busiest holidays for road trips, and 2018 will be no different,” McKinley said. “Motorists have become accustomed to this year’s more expensive gas prices and won’t let higher fuel costs deter them from taking Thanksgiving road trips.”

And weather could have an impact on travelers making their way to certain parts of the country. AccuWeather predicts snow for the Northeast leading up to Thanksgiving, rain in Texas and rainfall for the West Coast.