KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County, Kansas. Share your story idea with Olivia.
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With Thanksgiving travel officially underway, Kansas City is bracing for what AAA says will be another record-breaking year on the roads and in the air.
AAA expects nearly 82 million people to travel at least 50 miles between Tuesday and next Monday, continuing a post-pandemic surge that hasn’t slowed.
“We’re expecting to see the most travelers we’ve ever seen,” said AAA spokesperson Nick Chabarria. “At some point, we’re going to have to plateau … but we just haven’t seen that happen yet.”
Chabarria says the streak of record years really began in the last two and a half years as Americans rebounded from the pandemic and returned to holiday trips in full force.
At Kansas City International Airport, travelers said they were ready for the crowds — mostly.
Stephanie Mulaosmanovic, heading from Kansas City to Cancun, admitted she’s “a little bit” worried about long security lines.
Another traveler, Natalie Longfield of Overland Park, was more relaxed.
“Once we get there, we’ll be good," she said.
AAA recommends leaving earlier in the week to beat the rush. And if you really want to dodge delays altogether, Chabarria says the smoothest travel day is the holiday itself.
Anyone traveling 50 miles or more this week is officially part of 2025’s newest record, whether they’re tired of hearing that phrase or not.
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