NEW YORK — Some trains were sold out and light snow slowed Denver traffic, but short airport lines and few major delays surprised people on the eve of Thanksgiving.
While heading to Miami to visit his parents, Scott Brady sailed through the Philadelphia International Airport terminal. “I’ve never traveled ever when the traffic was this light” said Brady, of Bridgeport, Pa. “You would not even guess that this was Thanksgiving.”
Spokeswoman Triphenya Bailey at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, said she was not aware of any problems.”It’s been a really good day before Thanksgiving,” Bailey said.
Surveys indicated a record 38.7 million U.S. residents were likely to travel 50 miles or more for the holiday between Wednesday and Sunday, up about 1.5 percent over last year, according to the AAA auto club.
Nearly 80 percent of them were expected to drive despite gas prices that were nearly 85 cents more per gallon than they were a year ago. The national average for regular gasoline on Nov. 16 was $3.09 a gallon, up from $2.23 on Nov. 17, 2006.
Some travelers got entertainment. Four Rockettes dancers circulated around Chicago’s O’Hare International, demonstrating high kicks, handing out candy canes and posing for photos.
One reason for the smoother-than-expected sailing seemed to be that more people are turning Thanksgiving into an extended vacation rather than a long weekend, said Chicago Department of Aviation spokeswoman Karen Pride. “It looks like people started the holiday on the 16th, the Friday before,” Pride said.
