AAA: Thanksgiving travel to cause four-fold jump in traffic congestion

More than 54 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more away from home for the holiday.

The Thanksgiving holiday is expected to bring the highest travel volume since 2005, likely causing a significant jump in traffic congestion in some US cities, according to AAA and Inrix projections.

The AAA predicts 54.3 million Americans will be traveling 50 miles or more for the holiday, representing a 4.8-percent increase over last year and the biggest number in more than a dozen years.

"Consumers have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season: higher wages, more disposable income and rising levels of household wealth," says AAA Travel senior VP Bill Sutherland. "This is translating into more travelers kicking off the holiday season with a Thanksgiving getaway, building on a positive year for the travel industry."

Inrix predicts a four-fold increase in traffic wait times for certain cities. San Francisco, Chicago and Los Angeles are listed among the most problematic cities, particular on Wednesday. Tuesday is expected to be the worst day in Boston, Seattle, Atlanta, Washington DC, Detroit and New York, while Monday could bring the most trouble for Houston.

AAA says the best days to travel will be on Thanksgiving Day, Friday or Saturday.