Carolinas to see record numbers for Thanksgiving travel. Gas prices, what to know
A record number of South and North Carolina residents are expected to travel this Thanksgiving, reports AAA Carolinas, an affiliate of the American Automobile Association.
More than 750,000 South Carolina residents and 1.5 million North Carolina residents are expected to travel at least 50 miles for the holiday, a 2.9% increase from 2018, according to AAA Carolinas. The highest traffic is generally seen the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after the holiday.
Gas prices are expected to be similar or lower than last Thanksgiving’s average, which was $2.57 per gallon, AAA reports.
In South Carolina, the average on Monday was $2.28 per gallon, a two-cent increase from last week, according to AAA Carolinas. In Rock Hill, the average was $2.25 per gallon, up one cent from last month’s average but down from the average seen this time last year.
In North Carolina, Monday’s average was $2.37 per gallon, a decrease of one cent from last week, according to AAA Carolinas. The Charlotte region saw an average price of $2.34 per gallon Monday, down one cent from last month’s average and lower than Thanksgiving week in 2018.
“We saw gas prices decrease on the week, which is a good indication we could experience even cheaper prices ahead of Thanksgiving,” Tiffany Wright, AAA Carolinas spokesperson, said in a prepared statement.
“As you travel to your destinations, don’t be surprised to see prices fluctuate from area to area as stations engage in price wars to compete for customers during the heavy holiday traffic. Shop smart for low pump prices to encourage other retailers to keep prices low,” Wright said.
Construction in the York County region may cause some travel delays.
Thanksgiving day in the Rock Hill area is expected to be mostly sunny, with a high near 62 degrees and a low of 42 degrees at night, according to the National Weather Service.
Thanksgiving day in Charlotte will be marked by sunny skies and a high near 60 degrees, followed by clouds and a low around 43 degrees at night, according to the National Weather Service.
