More Americans plan to travel for Thanksgiving as gas prices fall to lowest level since February

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A new GasBuddy survey says more people plan to travel by car for Thanksgiving this year than in 2022.

41 percent of respondents said they plan to take a road trip this year, an 8 percent increase from a year ago.

This comes as the national average price of gas is projected to drop to $3.25 per gallon, saving Americans $573 million during holiday travel compared to 2022.

“More Americans are planning on hitting the road for the Thanksgiving holiday this year, and it’s no wonder why,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. “Average gas prices have plummeted in all 50 states in the weeks ahead of Thanksgiving, with $2.99 prices spreading like wildfire just in time for the start of the holiday season. Drivers will be saving over half a billion dollars from Wednesday through Sunday compared to what they spent last Thanksgiving with the national average at its lowest since January. However, with the big drop in price, motorists are not seeing all stations lower prices as quickly and should remember to check their phone for the lowest prices before filling up.”

GasBuddy recommends shopping around for the best prices and finding ways to optimize fuel efficiency, such as avoiding habits like hard braking, fast acceleration, and speeding.