HELENA — Many will gas up cars or check bags as they travel for Turkey Day. In Helena on Tuesday, travelers shared why they are making journeys for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Darryl Mcvay flew to Helena from Arizona to surprise his two grandsons, whom he hadn’t seen for almost a year. This trip had been in the works since September. When reunited with his grandsons Mcvay said, "Awesome, these little guys didn’t know I was coming. But they couldn’t believe it.”
Loray Chambers traveled all the way from Tennessee to Montana to spend Thanksgiving with her son and the newest member of their family.
"I am visiting my son and his new son,” said Chambers.
Montanans who are traveling for Thanksgiving via road will see gas prices below $3.00. According to the American Automobile Association, commonly known as AAA, the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in the Treasure State is around $2.96 per gallon. This is roughly ten cents below the national average and twenty-seven cents cheaper than this time a year ago.
Jeff Demers and his wife from Helena are driving to Kalispell to pick up his daughter before the Thursday holiday rush so they can spend Thanksgiving together.
The Demers say they appreciate the lower price since they frequently make the drive and other long-distance journeys.
“I love the gas prices coming down for sure. We do a lot of travel with our kids over the years, and gas prices coming down are huge," said Jeff Demers.
According to triple-A estimates, eight million Americans are expected to travel domestically this year. While most, 72 million people, are expected to drive to their destination, just six million are expected to fly.
