Holiday Travel Tips: Rain that’s on the radar across the country poses another challenge for Thanksgiving travel

RALEIGH, North Carolina (WTVD) — Even on a gray and foggy Tuesday afternoon and the discomfort of a flat tire, Ron Basilian’s enthusiasm did not dampen during his family’s trip to the Tar Heel State.

“It’s a beautiful place,” Basilian said. “The people are great, and the situation here is great.”

Weather Alert 1: Severe storms are possible Tuesday night into Wednesday morning

His family is visiting friends in Raleigh, Wilmington and Charlotte this week, after arriving by plane from Los Angeles.

“Nothing too bad so far (in terms of traffic). In fact, once the weekend was over, the hotel was much less crowded, so I expect we will probably have more people starting Wednesday/Thursday. But for now, “It is so.” “Very quiet,” Basilian said.

Nationally, AAA expects more than 55 million Americans to travel at least 50 miles from home over the Thanksgiving holiday period, the highest amount since the pandemic. In North Carolina, AAA Carolina expects 1.6 million people to travel that distance, an amount equivalent to about 15% of the state’s population.

Video: Historic holiday travel season in the air and on the road: AAA

“We expect more than 1.4 million of them will do so with vehicles. If you do the math, that means there are 18,000 more cars on the road than last year,” said Tiffany Wright, director of public affairs for AAA Carolinas.

Peak travel times for drivers are between 2 and 6 p.m., and Wright suggests starting trips early in the morning or evening to avoid traffic.

“If you’re talking about land travel on a Wednesday, think about this: It’s going to take 80% longer than it normally takes to get to your destination. Add the weather to that, and it could take even longer,” Wright explained.

Wednesday is expected to be the busiest travel day of the year.

“The ideal place is Thanksgiving Day. If your travel plans allow you to leave on Thanksgiving Day, then you will see the least amount of crowding,” Wright said.

After Thanksgiving, Sunday is likely to be the busiest day home, so planning your return trip for either Saturday or Monday can alleviate these concerns. She suggested travelers allow extra time, review their emergency kits and, if possible, check their cars before making the trip.

“There are some things you can do right in your driveway or garage. You want to make sure you check your tires, make sure they’re inflated properly. You want to make sure you check your fluid levels. Look at that battery (and) look for any corrosion around Battery. Make sure you check your windshield wiper blades. We know the weather is going to be an issue, and most people don’t know you need to replace their blades until they have to use them. “They realize they’re not working,” Wright said.

At Union Station in downtown Raleigh, Amtrak was anticipating an increase in ridership throughout the week. An Amtrak official told ABC11 that ridership at the station was up about 30% in fiscal year 2023 compared to fiscal year 2022. Last Thanksgiving, 8,630 passengers traveled through the station.

For those traveling by train, we recommend that you purchase your ticket online in advance, rather than waiting to do so in person. There is a small parking area in front of Union Station, as well as a drop-off area right near the entrance.

At RDU, as of 4:45 p.m. Tuesday, FlightAware reported 65 delayed flights and one flight cancellation.