Airports may not be most folks' first choice, but AAA estimates more than 6 million travelers taking domestic flights this Thanksgiving. Photo: Derek Lacey/Axios
Get ready for the Thanksgiving travel bottleneck.
Why it matters: Nearly 82 million people are traveling at least 50 miles for Thanksgiving, AAA estimates, so it pays to plan ahead.
The vast majority, about 73 million, will be going by car, up more than 1.3 million over last year and setting a new record, per AAA.
Zoom in: The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is also expecting "heavier-than-usual highway traffic," following airline disruptions from the government shutdown, per a release Thursday.
Alabama DOT is working to ease the pressure with no temporary lane closures on interstates between Nov. 26-30, per ALEA.
Driving the news: According to transportation data firm INRIX, the best day to be on the road is Thanksgiving Day, but on either side of Thursday, it pays to leave early.
If you're traveling Tuesday, leave before noon, and if going Wednesday, leave before 11am.
To miss the worst of the traffic, leave before 11am if you're traveling Friday, Nov. 28 or Sunday Nov. 30, and before 10am Saturday.
But on Monday, the best time is after 8pm.
The bottom line: A little planning goes a long way if you're looking to not spend your day off in traffic.
