Thanksgiving travel rush is under way across US

CHICAGO (AP) — Undeterred by costlier gas and airfare, millions of Americans set out Wednesday to see friends and family in what is expected to be the nation's busiest Thanksgiving weekend since the financial meltdown more than three years ago.

The rough economy led people to find ways to save money, but many refused to scrap their travel plans.

“We wouldn't think of missing it,” said Bill Curtis, a retiree from Los Angeles who was with his wife at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, Calif. “Family is important and we love the holiday. So we cut corners other places so we can afford to travel.”

About 42.5 million people are expected to hit the road or take to the skies for Thanksgiving this year, according to travel tracker AAA. That's the highest number of travelers since the start of the recession at the end of 2007.

Tags: news, updates, thanksgiving, travel