FARGO, N.D. (AAA) – 2024 has been the “year of travel” for North Dakotans, and Thanksgiving looks to keep it rolling: AAA projects 79.9 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from home over the Thanksgiving holiday travel period. That surpasses last year’s record by 1.7 million people, or 2%, and marks a 2-million-person increase over 2019.

AAA of North Dakota says the story line, here, is fundamentally economic: Robust wage growth has boosted personal income, while inflation – especially on common travel products – has stabilized and even declined. All told, consumer spending is up nearly 5% from this time last year – while North Dakota gas prices have fallen $0.30 over the same period.

Automobile travel will set new records nationwide – with 71.7 million people traveling by car over Thanksgiving, up 1.3 million drivers over last year.

Gas prices are trending down compared to 2023. The national average last Thanksgiving Day was $3.26. Falling oil prices this autumn may help push the national average below $3 a gallon for the first time since 2021, and that could happen before drivers hit the road for Thanksgiving.

In North Dakota, drivers are paying an average price of $2.93 – with prices at their highest in Bismarck ($3.04) and lowest in Grand Forks ($2.74).