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Thanksgiving Set To Be Busiest Travel Period In Years

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It looks like the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday may be one of the busiest travel periods in recent years.

AAA Mid-Atlantic's Jana Tidwell says the auto club is expecting more than 500,000 people to hit the roads in the region starting next Tuesday, and traveling an average of 50 miles to visit relatives for the Thanksgiving holiday.

"Ninety percent of those traveling for the holiday will go by car. They will enjoy the lowest gas prices for the holiday since 2008," Tidwell says.

Tidwell says don't count out the airport which also will be busy with nearly 45,000 expected to fly to get to their holiday destinations.

 

Amtrak's Chelsea Kopta says they're getting ready to move about 750,000 passengers- a record for the Thanksgiving travel period.

"So you want to book now because this is definitely the busiest time of the year for Amtrak - that Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after Thanksgiving by far and away the busiest time of the year," Kopta advises.

And, expect a heavy security presence at both Philadelphia International Airport and 30th Street Station.

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