AAA projects more than 54 million Americans will travel nationwide this Thanksgiving, a 4.8 percent increase over last year. The 2018 holiday weekend will see more than 1 million Arizona travelers, up 5.4 percent from last year.

“Consumers have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season: higher wages, more disposable income and rising levels of household wealth,” said Michelle Donati, spokeswoman for AAA Arizona. “This is translating into more travelers kicking off the holiday season with a Thanksgiving getaway, building on a positive year for the travel industry.”

The vast majority of Arizonans – more than 908,000 – will hit the road for Thanksgiving, an increase of 5.4 percent over last year. Motorists can expect to pay the highest Thanksgiving gas prices in four years, with a statewide average of $2.90 as of November 5, 52-cents more than a year ago.

Nearly 72,000 Arizonans will take flight, up nearly 5 percent from last year. Most travelers booked their flights for Thanksgiving between September 23 and October 25, paying an average ticket price of $478 roundtrip.

Travelers can expect to save on car rentals this Thanksgiving holiday season. At $63, the average daily rate is 10 percent less than last year.

Travelers can also save on AAA Three Diamond hotels, with an average nightly rate of $166, a decline of six percent compared to last year. Conversely, the average rate for AAA Two Diamond hotels has increased six percent with an average nightly cost of $124.

Based on historical and recent travel trends, INRIX, in collaboration with AAA, has identified 10 hot spots in the metro Phoenix area for Thanksgiving travel congestion. Two of these locations are on the Beeline Highway (SR87) between Fountain Hills and Payson:

*I-10 West at 59th Avenue/Exit 138 (Westbound).

*AZ-87 North at AZ-188 (Northbound).

*AZ-101 South at Guadalupe Road/Exit 56 (Southbound).

*AZ-87 South at N. Bush Highway (Southbound).

*I-10 East at Baseline Road/Exit 155 (Eastbound).

*I-10 East at 7th Street/Exit 145 (Eastbound).

*I-17 North at I-10/Exit 200 (Northbound).

*I-10 West at Dysart Road/Exit 129 (Westbound).

*AZ-101 West at 19th Avenue/Exit 24 (Westbound).

*AZ-87 North at FSR-375B (Northbound).

“In most cases, the best days to travel will be on Thanksgiving Day, Friday or Saturday,” Donati said. “Drivers should expect increased travel times on Sunday as most holiday travelers will be making their way home after the long weekend.”

AAA expects to rescue more than 6,800 Arizona travelers at the roadside over the Thanksgiving travel period. Dead batteries, lockouts and flat tires will be the leading reasons AAA members will experience car trouble. AAA recommends motorists take their vehicle to a trusted repair facility to perform any needed maintenance before heading out. Oil changes, fluid level checks, battery tests and tire inspections go a long way toward reducing the chances of a breakdown.

The Thanksgiving holiday period is defined as Wednesday, November 21, to Sunday, November 25.