Millions still traveling, including many in SoCal, despite CDC pleas to stay home for Thanksgiving
AAA predicts 50 million people will travel for Thanksgiving, 95% of which is expected to be travel by car.
Despite public health experts urging all Americans to stay home for Thanksgiving, many are still traveling for the holiday.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are advising that people not travel as COVID-19 cases continue to run rampant across the county. But new numbers show people are already crowding airports.
ABC News reports more than 1 million people passed through American airports on Friday -- 1.5 million less than on the same day last year. The figure from the TSA represents the second-highest number of people to travel by air since March 17.
RELATED: Thanksgiving travel: TSA screens 1 million for the first time since March despite COVID surge
AAA says air travel is expected to see its largest single-year decrease on record for Thanksgiving -- down 47% in total for Thanksgiving compared to 2019.
One traveler at Los Angeles International Airport said it's difficult to balance safety with the desire to see family for the holiday.
"I think if people follow the rules, it's pretty safe to do -- just like with everything. Everything in life," he said.
AAA predicts 50 million people will travel for Thanksgiving, 95% of which is expected to be travel by car. In Southern California, the majority of the 3.9 million people expected to travel over Thanksgiving will be driving.
"We have to know what we're comfortable with, sticking with our own household, and taking those steps and packing our those supplies that we're gonna need along our journey so that we keep our area clean and we keep our family safe," said Doug Shupe with the Automobile Club of Southern California.
People visiting California or returning home from a trip are being urged to self-quarantine for two weeks.
RELATED: CDC updates Thanksgiving guidance, recommends that Americans do not travel
