SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Thanksgiving is one week away, and millions of people nationwide are preparing to travel.
In California, AAA is expecting to see a record number of travelers around the holiday weekend with more than 7 million people taking to the roads and skies.
In total, an estimated 55 million people will travel nationwide.
"It is likely going to be the busiest we've seen since pre-pandemic, 2019," said John Treanor, a spokesperson for AAA.
AAA said most people will drive, and the roads will be busiest between 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving. They said the best time to travel is before 11 a.m. Wednesday and before 10 a.m. and after 5 p.m. Thursday.
See graphic below for the rest of the week:
AAA also said to make sure your car maintenance is up to date before you head out.
"You want to do things like check your tires, make sure your tire pressure and your tire tread is holding up, check your batteries to avoid dead batteries and make sure things like washer fluid and anti-freeze are all topped off before you head out," Treanor said.
If you're taking a flight, the advice is similar: plan ahead.
"It's going to be busy," said Scott Johnston, spokesperson for Sacramento International Airport (SMF). "We expect about 100,000 people to come through the airport between November 21 and 26."
The airport is expecting Wednesday to be the busiest day, especially in the morning.
Johnston said plan to arrive at the airport at least two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international.
Be sure to check traffic conditions and their parking map online before you leave home.
"We have some construction going on out on the highways, a lot around Sacramento right now, so that could cause delays. Also... our lots are filling up quick," Johnston said. "We will have a spot for you to park, but you may not have the spot you're used to parking in."
Some other advice includes making sure your bag doesn't have anything that may not be TSA approved so you can ensure smooth travel to your gate.
The airport's online parking map will show you how many spaces are open in each lot. Remember to save time for the shuttle from the lot to your terminal.
To view the parking map, click here.
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