Thousands To Travel For Turkey Day

Sunday, November 18th 2007, 5:27 pm

By: News On 6

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to hit Oklahoma highways this week to celebrate Thanksgiving. Add to that, thousands more who will fly to visit family. The News On 6â€™s Dan Bewley reports this is one of the busiest weeks of the year for travel.

From record high gas prices to long lines through security at the airport, traveling can be a pain in the neck. And, Tulsa International Airport is expected to be very busy.

â€œThere could be anywhere from 6,000 to 6,500 people going through the terminal every single day,â€ said Alexis Higgins with Tulsa International Airport.

With a total of 7,000 seats available every day at Tulsa International, that 6,500 expectation is near capacity. Airport officials say the holiday run started on Friday and will keep climbing.

â€œWe expect there to be more people in the terminal throughout the week but especially Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving,â€ said Alexis Higgins with Tulsa International Airport.

Most holiday travelers never leave the ground. Triple A says more than 420,000 people will hit Oklahoma roads over the four day weekend. That despite gas prices reaching record highs. The average cost in Tulsa, according to Triple A, for a gallon of regular unleaded is $2.97, nearly a dollar more than it was a year ago.

Triple A has advice if you're taking the family car this week. Make sure your tires are properly inflated. That can help with your fuel economy. And, watch all the junk in your trunk. The more you put there, the more it weighs down your car and the more gas you'll use. Also, Triple A says, unless your car specifically requires premium gasoline, you can probably just buy the regular. Premium gasoline doesn't do anything to help with fuel economy.

For those taking to the skies, Alexis Higgins says it's best to get to the airport an hour and a half before your flight takes off. She adds there are ways to speed up the process before you leave your front door.

â€Many airlines now offer online check in. So you can check in from home, print out your boarding pass, bring it to the airport, and go right up to one of the self-service kiosks, scan that boarding pass, check your luggage, and come right up to the security checkpoint,â€ said Alexis Higgins with Tulsa International Airport.

Watch the video: Many Have Travel Plans For Thanksgiving

WEB EXTRA: Transportation Security Administration