More than 42 million heading out of town for Thanksgiving

CHICAGO - Whether on the highway or at home, Americans will pay more to celebrate Thanksgiving this year. But higher gas prices and costlier airfare are not stopping millions of people from traveling for the holiday.

About 42.5 million people are expected to drive, fly or ride trains to their Thanksgiving destinations, according to travel tracker AAA. That's the highest number since the start of the recession.

Ninety percent of them will drive, and it won't be cheap. Drivers will pay almost 20 percent more for gas, which has reached an average of $3.42 a gallon. Many airfares are up 20 percent from last year. Rail travelers
will pay 2 to 5 percent more on most one-way Amtrak tickets. And hotel rates are up slightly, too.