Auto Club: Record 4.5 Million SoCal Residents Will Travel for Thanksgiving

Traffic moves along U.S. Highway 101 towards downtown San Francisco on Nov. 27, 2019. Nearly 50 million people are expected to hit the roadways during the Thanksgiving holiday season. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

LOS ANGELES—A record 4.5 million Southern California residents are expected to travel over the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, up 2.5 percent from last year, contributing to what the Automobile Club of Southern California projects to be the third-busiest Thanksgiving travel period on record nationally.

“Despite inflation and high gas prices, consumers are continuing to prioritize valuable and memorable time with family and friends through coming together at the holidays,” Heather Felix, the Auto Club’s vice president for travel products and services, said in a statement. “Our members still want to make up for their delayed or missed opportunities to travel during the pandemic.”