Holiday Travel Rush is On

WASHINGTON (Reuter) - The pre-Thanksgiving travel rush hits its peak Wednesday. The American Automobile Association predicts 31 million Americans will be on the move today, setting an all-time record for what is traditionally the busiest travel day of the year.

The AAA estimates 5.5 million people will fly to their holiday destinations and 26 million will drive. Amtrak is also running extra trains to handle the added load.

Airport officials urged travelers to arrive early. Airline passengers could face some of the tightest security restrictions ever. The restrictions were imposed during the summer after the mysterious crash of TWA Flight 800.

In an interview with ABC, Charles Seliga, General Manager of New York's Kennedy International Airport said passengers could speed up their progression through the airport by carrying proper identification and having tickets ready.

Extra workers and security are in place at the new Pittsburgh International Airport. Some security changes are also in effect, such as the new rules requiring passengers to carry photo identification.

AAA says motorists planning to drive to their holiday destination should be prepared to pay higher prices at the gasoline pump, compared to last month. The association's monthly Fuel Gauge Report shows the nationwide average price for gasoline is about $1.28 a gallon for unleaded self-serve, the highest for a Thanksgiving holiday since 1990, during the Gulf War, when prices jumped to an average of $1.36 a gallon.

Motorists across the nation may notice an increase in the number of state troopers on the road. Illinois state police say they'll be warning motorists to drive carefully. Director Terry Gainer says that means driving sober, wearing seatbelts and obeying the speed limit. In Florida, teams of troopers will be setting up roadside sobriety checkpoints, concentrating on areas with a history of alcohol-related crashes.