More Travelers Will Drive This Thanksgiving

Contributing Editor Carl Unger believes that every trip is worth taking. He loves an extended trip to Europe as much as he enjoys exploring the towns and landscape near home. Basically, you'll find him wherever there is good food, fresh air, and plenty of stories to bring home.

Carl has been writing for SmarterTravel since 2005. His travel writing has also appeared on USA Today and the About.com Boston travel guide.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "It's not revolutionary, but a small Moleskine notebook is my one travel must-have. It's great for noting things you want to remember and it takes up hardly any space in your bag."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Japan. I'd love to take a month off and visit the cities, temples, and countryside. I'm fascinated by the country's juxtaposition of ancient traditions and modern ambitions."

Travel Motto: “Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” –Terry Pratchett

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Window."

See recent posts by Carl Unger

Thanksgiving has a reputation for being the most chaotic, stressful—not to mention busiest—air travel holiday of the year. And while this is by and large true, Thanksgiving seems to be losing some of its fire. This year’s AAA Thanksgiving report claims overall travel will pick up, but air travel will decline by a sizable 6.7 percent as more people take to the road.

But the real eye-catcher in the report is this number: 62 percent. That’s how much Thanksgiving air travel has declined since 2000. And the airlines have responded by cutting capacity to near-1999 levels in the hopes of matching supply with current demand.

But still, the airport exodus continues. So what will you be doing this year? Driving? Flying? Staying at home? What influenced your decision? I’d love to hear what you have to say, so please leave a comment below.

As for me, I’ll be staying home—no driving or flying, just lots of turkey!

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