GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel holidays, and it might be the first time many have traveled in a while.
However, as the pandemic worsens, there will be fewer people on the roads and in airports this year.
The effects of the pandemic, including health concerns and high unemployment, are playing a big part in Thanksgiving travel decisions.
AAA expects at least a 10% drop, which is the biggest one-year decrease since the Great Recession in 2008.
For those who do go elsewhere, 95% are expected to be hitting the roads, sticking closer to home and spending less time away.
Even so, the number of people road-tripping is projected to fall over 4%.
When it comes to flying, the decrease in travelers is much more drastic.
AAA anticipates it will be down by nearly half, which would be the largest one-year drop on record.
At the Ford Airport, Stephen Clark, the director of commercial development said they’re seeing a bit of a bump over the holidays.
Although their numbers are better than the average, it’s not even close to pre-pandemic levels.
“For the month of October, we had just about 145,000 folks come through the doors," Clark said. "That is roughly 50% of what we had seen in 2019. So obviously we've got a long way to go. But it's important to know that is 10 percentage points more than the industry average.”
The Ford Airport has ramped up safety measures, including continuous cleaning of high-traffic areas, and the installation of hand sanitizer stations and plexiglass shields.
Be aware, CDC said travel increases the chance of getting and spreading COVID. The agency ranks short car trips, with only your household, as lowest risk. Riding with people not in your household, and direct flights, are moderate risk. Flights with layovers are in the highest risk category.
RELATED VIDEO:
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.