. '' AAA said the slight increase in the number of Thanksgiving travelers from last year reflects improved consumer confidence as well as `` a growing sense among many consumers that the worst of the global economic crisis is behind us . '' Travelers are still concerned about the economy , said AAA spokesman Geoff Sundstrom , and the numbers remain well down from two years ago . `` Clearly , there was a huge drop-off in the number of people traveling last year , '' he said . According to the association , Thanksgiving travel dropped 25.2 percent last year , compared with 2007 . Still , Sundstrom added , `` We are encouraged that the numbers have stabilized and turning up from what they were a year ago . '' The bulk of Thanksgiving travelers -- about 33.2 million -- will be traveling by car , AAA said . Jennifer Burrell of Tucker , Georgia , said she , her husband and their two daughters were driving Thursday morning to the Asheville , North Carolina , area , and will return Sunday . She said she was n't expecting traffic on the way there but `` it always
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A slightly higher number of Americans will travel Thanksgiving holiday weekend compared with last year , but those traveling by air is expected to decline , AAA said . The association , which surveyed 1,350 American households , projects that 38.4 million Americans will travel over the holiday weekend , up from 37.8 million last year . However , the number traveling by air is expected to decline to 2.3 million , the automobile association said . In 2008 , 2.5 million Americans traveled by plane for Thanksgiving . `` We do this every year , '' said Mindy Potter of Atlanta , Georgia , who was flying with her husband and 6-year-old son . `` It 's insanity every year . '' Potter said she and her family were headed Wednesday to Hot Springs Village , Arkansas , to see her husband 's family . See the FAA 's flight delays map She said they were allowing themselves plenty of time at the airport . `` My husband 's a stickler for going early , '' she said . `` If I was in charge of it , we 'd probably have a frenzied rush