Travel Plans Not Affected By Economic Conditions
Respondents plan to travel an average of approximately 114 miles over Thanksgiving weekend, with an overwhelming nine out of 10 taking to the roads. In total, 89 percent plan to travel by car, six percent by plane, three percent by train and one percent by bus.
Of the 29 percent of travelers who said they will scale back their Thanksgiving travel this year, most (71 percent) cite the cost of gasoline as one of the factors influencing their decisions. Other considerations include the worsening economy (53 percent) and the cost of flights (37 percent).
"Despite the difficult U.S. economy, Thanksgiving travelers will not be deterred this holiday season," said Ryan Garton, director of customer insights at Discover Financial Services. "The Discover Card Thanksgiving Survey shows that travel plans this season will match those from last year, especially in terms of the number of people who will travel by car."
When asked what they liked least about traveling over Thanksgiving, 39 percent said high gas prices, down from 44 percent last year. Thirty-eight percent cited traffic, while 12 percent said long lines at the airport, airport security hassles and high hotel prices are the least appealing aspects of the holiday.
For Most, Being with Family Makes Thanksgiving Special
When asked what they like most about Thanksgiving, almost three-quarters of respondents (73 percent) said the opportunity to see family or be surrounded by loved ones. Significantly more women (81 percent) than men (64 percent) gave this response.
Eleven percent said a big turkey dinner is what they like most, with twice as many men (16 percent) as women (8 percent) choosing this response. Six percent said watching football games, five percent said the chance to get away for a bit and two percent said knowing that the holiday shopping season is around the corner.
Twenty-two percent of respondents said the fear of putting on extra pounds or overeating was the biggest drawback to Thanksgiving. Twenty percent cited the travel, 16 percent said the expense and 14 percent said the hassle of cooking a large meal.
TRAVEL TRENDS
- 114 Miles: Approximate Average distanced traveled
- 70% Will not scale back travel this year
- 71% Don’t consider the cost of travel a factor when making plans
- 89% Will travel by car
- 8% Will drive instead of fly this Thanksgiving
- 39% Find high gas prices least appealing aspect of Thanksgiving travel
HOLIDAY SENTIMENTS
- 73% Enjoy visiting with family or loved ones
- 11% Enjoy a big turkey dinner
- 6% Like watching the football games
- 22% Worry about putting on weight from overeating
- 14% Find the hassle of cooking a large meal biggest drawback
- 30% Are considering asking guests to bring potluck to cut food costs
Almost Half Will Consider Cost of Food This Season
While the majority (52 percent) of respondents said they will not pay closer attention to the cost of buying their Thanksgiving meal this year, 46 percent of respondents said they will. Two percent of respondents said they may pay more attention.
When asked which of the following they would consider doing, given the economy, to cut the cost of Thanksgiving:
47 percent said nothing – tradition is priceless;
30 percent said they would consider asking guests to bring a dish for a potluck-style Thanksgiving meal;
28 percent said they would consider cutting other expenses so that they can maintain their traditions;
15 percent said they would consider not serving food beyond traditional Thanksgiving fare such as turkey, stuffing, pie;
10 percent said they would consider cutting back on the number of guests they invite; and
Six percent said they do not know.
