Fewer Americans will travel during the annual Thanksgiving holiday because of financial problems, marking the first decline in such travel since 2002. Even though gasoline prices have fallen and airlines offered last-minute deals, many Americans are skipping trips to visit family this year. The American Automobile Association (AAA) expects 41 million Americans to travel more than 80 kilometers for the holiday, down about 1.5 percent or 600,000 people from last Thanksgiving. Air travel is expected to be down more sharply—about 7 percent—than the 1 percent decline in driving. “The overall state of the economy continues to present real challenges for some Americans looking to travel,” AAA chief executive Robert Barbeinet said in a statement. Travelers moved quickly through airport terminals Wednesday, and drivers were not delayed as roads were free from congestion on the busiest holiday travel weekend of the year, various media reported. As job losses and home foreclosures continue to grow, travel is an expense that can no longer be justified by some families, and many Americans are concerned about how the recession and declining home values will hurt their finances in coming months, signaling that year-end travel may fall in December, as well.
