TUCSON, Ariz — 2024 has been a year of record breaking travel numbers and Thanksgiving week will be no different.
According to AAA, almost 80 million travelers are expected over the holiday week and 72 million of those folks are expected to hit the roads.
"In Arizona, it's going to be about 1.65 million people," says Julian Paredes a spokesperson for AAA Arizona, "So pretty much anywhere you're going, it's going to be really busy for the holiday. You're talking tens of millions of people traveling"
In Arizona, gas prices are sitting at about $3.22 on average, down from $3.61 a year ago.
In Pima County, gas prices are a bit lower at $3.12 on average, down from $3.23 a year ago.
"Gas prices have come down quite a bit in the last year. That's probably motivating some people to take a little bit of a longer road trip, or just, yeah, preferring to drive as opposed to flying or doing something else," says Paredes.
Ahead of the holiday, Paredes is also saying checking your car battery and tire pressure could save you a headache down the line.
"One of the biggest reasons why people call AAA are still going to be your tires and your car battery. That's still the most common reason why people break down even in the fall, even in the winter time," says Paredes, "It's still a really good idea to check your tire and your car battery right now."
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Blake Phillips is a reporter for KGUN 9. Originally from St. Louis, Mo., Blake grew up in Sierra Vista. During his college tenure at the Missouri School of Journalism, Blake worked for the NBC affiliate KOMU-TV in Columbia. He is excited to return to a place he calls home and give back to the community in which he grew up. Share your story ideas and important issues with Blake by emailing blake.phillips@kgun9.com.
