Thanksgiving Travel Volumes Exceed Pre-9/11; Despite High Fuel Prices, AAA Reports

BELLEVUE, Wash., Nov. 23, 2004 -- Expect roads and airports to be crowded this Thanksgiving holiday, AAA expects travel volumes to exceed levels set prior to 9/11. AAA estimates that 37.2 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday, a 3.1 percent increase from last year. Of these travelers, 30.6 million are expected to travel by motor vehicle and another 4.6 million to go by plane.

"Overall travel costs are up from last year, however many trips will cost less than they did in 2000," said Janet Ray, managing director of corporate communications, AAA Washington/Inland. "Although fuel prices remain high adding to those costs, we are seeing a slight decrease in fuel prices heading into the holiday."

In the past month, fuel prices locally and nationally have decreased by pennies. In Washington the cost of self-serve regular unleaded gasoline is $2.038 per gallon, and in Idaho $2.049 per gallon. In Washington this is an increase of 43 cents since this time last year, but 27 cents below the record price of $2.309 set May 29th of this year. Prices in Idaho are near the record level of $2.099 set on October 30th of this year. The national average fuel price also set a record in late October reaching $2.033 per gallon, but recently dropped below the two-dollar mark, and currently is $1.942 per gallon.

Motorists heading over the hills and through the woods to grandmother's house this holiday can calculate the cost of the fuel they will use by going to AAA's online Fuel Cost Calculator at www.fuelcostcalculator.com.

              Sample Self-serve Regular Unleaded Fuel Prices

                                     Thanksgiving   Labor Day   Thanksgiving
   City                                  2004          2004         2003

   Washington                            2.038         1.997        1.61
     Bellingham                          2.097         2.019       1.629
     Bremerton                           1.993         1.925       1.589
     Olympia                             2.028         1.985       1.592
     Seattle-Bellevue-Everett            2.042         2.003       1.610
     Spokane                             2.010         2.000       1.587
     Tacoma                              1.989         1.916       1.544
     Tri-Cities                          2.019         2.005       1.627
     Vancouver                           1.968         1.924       1.561
     Walla Walla                         2.120         2.060       1.690
     Wenatchee                           2.079         2.043       1.627
     Yakima                              2.082         2.016       1.630
   Idaho                                 2.049         1.966       1.643
     Coeur d'Alene                       2.038         2.002       1.649
     Lewiston                            N/A           1.930       1.560

AAA Washington/Inland has been serving members since 1904. Today, the organization's 850,000 members benefit by roadside assistance and other automotive programs, insurance products and services, travel agency, financial products, trip planning services and highway and transportation safety programs. Information about these products and services is available through any of the company's 24 service centers in Washington and northern Idaho or at www.aaa.com.