For those of us who don’t want to battle the burgeoning crowds at the airports or fork over big wads of cash for the right seat on the right flight this Thanksgiving holiday, there’s always the option of driving. And even though hitting the road isn’t a cost-free option, more Americans will be doing so this year than last year.

Without a lot of wiggle room in many family budgets, piling everyone in the car to visit grandma can present a cheaper choice than flying. Gas prices continue to worry people however, and AAA tells the Associated press that the economy will need a bigger boost to make holiday travel jump even more.

This year around 46.3 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home during the Thanksgiving holiday, which is a 0.7% increase over last year. Plenty of people will try to stay closer to home, however, as we keep a collective eye on that gas pump.

The good news is that there’s been a drop in gas prices around the nation on average by about $0.35 per gallin in just the last month, and the AAA says more declines are headed our way.

Filling up on Thanksgiving Day will likely stay a pricy option, as a gallon of gas is predicted to be close to last year’s record price of $3.32.

Then there’s the tried and true method of saving money by just refusing to move from the couch and ordering in some Turkey Surprise, but that’s not as much fun as seeing your grandma, is it?

AAA: Thanksgiving travel should increase slightly [Associated Press]

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