NEW YORK, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Americans are expected to

set a new record for Thanksgiving travel, with nearly 80 million

to hit the roads, catch flights and board cruises over the

holiday period, travel group AAA said on Monday.

About 1.7 million more people will travel this year from

Tuesday, Nov. 26 to Monday, Dec. 2, compared to a similar period

in 2023.

Although staffing and aircraft shortages have capped the

airline industry's ability to ramp up capacity during the

holidays in previous years, a record number of Americans are

expected to fly to their destinations this year.

American Airlines ( AAL ) plans to shuttle 8.3 million

passengers from Nov. 21 to Dec. 3, about 500,000 more customers

than last year. Delta Air Lines ( DAL ) said it is expecting a

record 6.5 million passengers over a 12-day period, a 5%

year-over-year increase.

Southwest Airlines ( LUV ) and American Airlines ( AAL ) both said

their passenger volumes will peak on Sunday, Dec. 1, as more

travelers plan to return home immediately following the holiday

versus extending their trips.

United Airlines said its passenger volumes on the

Friday, Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving have increased

20% from 2023, while demand for Monday and Tuesday is flat. The

air carrier is expecting a record 6.2 million total passengers

over a 13-day period.

Travelers are paying more to travel domestically this year,

with the average airfare priced at $273 as of the end of

October, up 9% from last year, according to travel booking app

Hopper. However, airfares for the holiday remain lower than in

2022 and pre-pandemic levels, the company said.

International flight booking numbers are up 23% compared to

last Thanksgiving, while average ticket costs are down 5%, the

AAA said.

CAR TRAVEL

AAA projects a record 71.7 million people will embark on

road trips across the country, a 1.3 million increase from last

year.

Falling oil prices may help push the national average

gasoline price below $3 a gallon for the first time since 2021.

BUS, CRUISE AND TRAIN TRAVEL

Nearly 2.3 million people are expected to travel by other

modes of transportation including by bus, a 9% increase from

2023 and an 18% jump from 2019, according to the AAA.

That is due in large part to the growing popularity of

cruising, as domestic and international cruise bookings are up

20% compared to last Thanksgiving.

Rail operator Amtrak said it carried more than 1 million

customers from Nov. 18 to Nov. 26 in 2023 and is expecting more

than that this year, a spokesperson said.