MA 2020 Thanksgiving Travel Guide: 95% Will Travel By Car

MASSACHUSETTS — The day before Thanksgiving started with relatively few delays on Boston-area highways. Meanwhile, there were few travelers at Logan Airport early on the morning of what has traditionally been the busiest travel day of the year.

That's because AAA is predicting a 10 percent decrease in Thanksgiving travel this year thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. But that still means more than 50 million people will be hitting the road and heading to the airport this week.

Latest Boston-Area Highway Conditions

Last updated at 3:20 p.m. on Nov. 25.

• Massachusetts State Police said Wednesday they would deploy extra patrols on state highways over the holiday weekend (11:50 a.m.).
• The left two lanes have reopened on I-93 south, just before Exit 10 in Milton after a three-car crash. Traffic is backed up to the O'Neil Tunnel (11:19 a.m.).
• An earlier crash on Route 128 southbound in Newton has been cleared. All lanes are open, but there are heavy residual delays (10:10 a.m.).

It's the biggest one-year drop in AAA's annual holiday travel forecast since 2008's Great Recession and comes on the heels of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention saying people should stay home this year. The CDC's latest guidance has a list of questions to ask before making a trip.

But volume on America's roads is still expected to be 30 percent higher this week than in a typical week, with more people opting to travel by car. So if you do end up traveling this week, we have you covered. We'll be updating this story through Wednesday with the latest on travel conditions in New England.

If you plan to travel from the Boston area and want to avoid the rush, be aware that the peak travel time is expected to be at 3:15 p.m., Wednesday, especially on Interstate 93 northbound.

If You're Traveling By Car

AAA is expecting 95 percent of all holiday travel to be done by car this year. Those who are driving will go shorter average distances than in non-pandemic years, AAA said. They'll also find cheaper gas prices, with the average national price per gallon down nearly 50 cents from a year ago.

If you have flexibility on when you leave, search trends on Google Maps says the best time to start a pre-Thanksgiving road trip from Boston is at 3 a.m. Wednesday. For return trips leaving Boston after the holiday, the best time to leave is at 5 a.m. Sunday, and the worst time to leave is 3 p.m. Sunday.

The map below shows real-time traffic conditions courtesy of Waze. You can use the search box at the bottom of the map to customize it to your travel plans. We'll also update this section with news of major backups as we hear about them:

Here are some things to keep in mind as you plan your trip:

• MassDOT will extend the hours of its high-occupancy vehicles lanes heading into the holiday weekend. The outbound HOV lane between Boston and Quincy on Interstate 93 South will be open between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Tuesday and from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday. The lane will be closed Thursday and Friday and return to normal hours next Monday.

Planes, Trains and Other Modes Of Travel

The pandemic means Thanksgiving air travel will drop by 48 percent this year, AAA said. Here are some resources for air travelers coming to and leaving from Boston's Logan International Airport:

• Monitor massport.com for updated airline and airport information and Transportation Security Administration carry-on luggage regulations. The Massport website allows travelers to check flight status, parking conditions and public transportation options from their smartphone or tablet. Massport also encourages travelers to check with their airlines before heading to the airport for the most updated flight status and travel information.
• Coronavirus testing is now available at Logan Airport’s Terminal E arrivals area. The testing facility, known as XPresCheck, is offering a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or nasal swab test, a blood antibody test, and will soon offer the rapid test.

The MBTA will run a regular, weekday scheduled on Wednesday. On Thursday, there will be no ferry service and the rest of the system will run on a Sunday schedule.

Tips For All Travelers

Massachusetts is asking all out-of-state visitors to self-quarantine for 14 days or produce a negative coronavirus test when they arrive. Travelers arriving at Logan International Airport will be asked to fill out a form.

AAA offered the following suggestions for those traveling this holiday season:

• Plan ahead. Check with state and local authorities where you are, along your route, and at your planned destination to learn about local circumstances and any restrictions that may be in place.
• Minimize stops along the way. Pack meals, extra snacks and drinks in addition to an emergency roadside kit.
• Follow public health guidance. Use face masks and remember to socially distance. Wash your hands regularly and be sure to pack disinfecting wipes, hand sanitizer and a thermometer to help protect and monitor your health.
• Check with your hotel. Prior to any hotel stay, call ahead to ensure your hotel is open and ask what precautions it is taking and what requirements are in place to protect guests.

Dave Copeland writes for Patch and can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).