LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – AAA projects record-breaking travel numbers through the holiday week.
8 News Now spoke with drivers heading to their Thanksgiving destinations Wednesday.
“We plan ahead,” Las Vegan Stephen Brawders said of his drive to California. “Just in case it takes a little bit longer.”
Traffic was steady across the valley and on I-15 between Nevada and California Wednesday evening, as people drove to their various destinations.
AAA predicts 79.9 million people will travel 50 miles or more this week, with 71.7 million of those expected to travel by car. It marks 1.3 million more than this time in 2023.
“I normally leave early and avoid that rush hour traffic,” Devin Watts said of his annual trip to Los Angeles from Las Vegas. “Both here and LA traffic is tough.”
Gas prices are also lower than they were last year, with Nevada’s average at $3.69 per gallon on Wednesday.
8 News Now caught up with people driving through Las Vegas from different parts of the country, including Julio Granados, who was passing through with his family.
“We started at 11 o’clock this morning,” he said. “It was good, we made a couple of stops because we have a couple of seniors.”
Anyone planning to travel on Thanksgiving Thursday can expect clear roads, as experts say most people have already reached their destination.
For anyone thinking about heading home after the holiday, AAA suggests leaving early in the morning on Sunday to avoid the rush.
Anyone driving on Monday should plan to avoid fellow holiday travelers and those heading back to work.
