Get outta town
Wednesday not busiest travel day of year, but it sure is hoppin'
November 26, 1997
Web posted at: 1:10 p.m. EST (1810 GMT)
(CNN) -- Contrary to popular belief, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is not the nation's biggest travel day -- that honor actually falls to the Sunday after the holiday when all those holiday travelers are returning home, just as business travelers start their work week.
For that reason, Wednesday is not even the second busiest travel day -- Monday is. And if you count only air travel, Wednesday actually comes in fourth with Saturday beating it out. All in all, the long holiday weekend is the most concentrated holiday traveling time of the year for Americans.
This season is expected to be busier than last year. The American Bus Association expects bus travel to be up 2-3 percent this weekend, and AAA says 32.4 million people will be more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) from home -- an increase of 3 percent over last year.
Air travel statistics
| Day | # of passengers | % seats full |
| Wednesday | 1.67 million | 75.1% full |
| Thursday | 1.09 million | 51.4% full |
| Friday | 1.28 million | 59.9% full |
| Saturday | 1.81 million | 81% full |
| Sunday | 1.99 million | 89% full |
| Monday | 1.96 million | 87% full |
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Source: Air Transport Association
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Some holiday stats from AAA:
- 27.2 million Americans will be on the road in cars, trucks and RVs, up 3 percent from last year. The greatest number of auto travelers will originate in the Southeast (7.1 million) and the fewest will start in the Northeast (4.7 million).
- 5.2 million people are expected to board an airplane, train or bus, up 4 percent from last year.
- 62 percent of those heading out of town expect to stay with family or friends; 26 percent will spend the holiday in a hotel or motel.
- 46 percent are heading into a city for the holiday and 30 percent will end up in a small town or rural area; 17 percent will be at the beach or in the mountains.
- It's estimated 24 percent of 18-34 year olds plan to travel for Thanksgiving, the most of any age group. Seventeen percent of 35-54 year olds are expected to travel, and 12 percent of those 55 and over.
- According to the Air Transport Association, planes will be most packed on Sunday, filled to 89% capacity.
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