BUFFALO, N.Y., November 18, 2008 – AAA estimates that approximately 41 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this Thanksgiving holiday weekend, a slight 1.4 percent decrease from the 41.6 million who traveled in 2007.

“The economy may present challenges for some Americans looking to travel this Thanksgiving,” said Tom Chestnut, President/CEO of AAA Western and Central New York. “However, the desire to spend time with family, combined with significantly lower gasoline prices than earlier this year, will provide a strong impetus for many Americans to travel this holiday season.”

More than 33.2 million Americans (81 percent of all holiday travelers) expect to travel by automobile, representing a 1.2 percent decrease from the 33.6 million people who drove a year ago.

Nearly 4.5 million (11 percent of all holiday travelers) plan to travel by airplane, a 7.2 decrease from the 4.89 million travelers who flew last year, while 3.26 million Americans (eight percent of all holiday travelers) intend to travel by train, bus, or other mode of transportation, a 5.8 percent increase from 2007.

Travelers can expect to pay much lower prices at the pump compared to last year. The national average for self-serve regular gasoline is $2.06 per gallon, down $1.03 from last year. Travelers in New York State can expect to pay an average of $2.44 per gallon, down 82 cents from last year. The average price of gasoline in the Buffalo/Niagara region is $2.55 per gallon, down 72 cents from last year, while the average price of gasoline in the Rochester area is $2.46 per gallon, down 81 cents from last year. Drivers in Syracuse are currently paying $2.29 per gallon on average, down $1.00 from a year ago.

“With gasoline pump prices continuing downward, many Americans may make last-minute travel arrangements to visit family and friends,” said Chestnut. “AAA.com can be used as a valuable resource for travelers with internet TripTiks, discount hotel bookings, and helpful gas price information.”

Of the total number of Thanksgiving travelers, 66.6 percent expect to stay with family and friends, while 16.1 percent plan to stay at a hotel, motel or resort. The remaining 17.3 percent of travelers either did not know where they would stay or are expected to stay in other types of lodgings, including campers, trailers, RVs, tents, rented or owned condos, or cabins.

On average, comparable rates for a AAA Three Diamond Hotels are down 10 percent compared to last year. Travelers can expect to pay airfares eight percent higher than they did in 2007. Car rental prices are four percent higher than a year ago for the same period, based on the lowest average intermediate size car daily rate from the top 20 U.S. airport locations.

AAA reminds air travelers that many changes have occurred since the last holiday travel season. Most airlines continue to charge fees for checked baggage and other previously complimentary services. Travelers should check with the airline or their travel counselor about any additional fees for their trip.

Motorists should plan their trip in advance and can comparison shop to find the least expensive gas in their area before they leave home and throughout their entire trip by utilizing AAA’s Fuel Price Finder, located online at www.AAA.com/gas.

Research for Thanksgiving weekend holiday travel projections are derived from a nationwide survey of 8,500 adults from the Travel Industry Association, which conducts special research for AAA. The survey was conducted October 13-20, 2008.

As Upstate New York’s largest member services organization, AAA provides over 880,000 members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive related services. Since its founding in 1900, AAA has been a leading advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA can be visited at www.AAA.com.