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Thousands Hit The Road On Thanksgiving Getaway Day

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS-SF) -- The Thanksgiving getaway rush has begun as thousands of Bay Area residents took the roadways and airways Wednesday on their annual treks to visit family and friends for the holiday.

Fortunately, Mother Nature graced the region with blue skies and no delays were reported at local airports, but there were lengthy lines at the TSA security points.

Bay Area Holiday Travel Guide

According to AAA, more than 5.7 million Californians planned to travel 50 miles or more during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

That represents a slight increase of 0.6 percent compared with last year's figures.

"Lower gas prices and a higher level of consumer optimism have contributed to an increase in holiday excursions," said AAA Northern California spokeswoman Cynthia Harris in a statement.

AAA predicted that nearly 5 million will travel by car over the four-day holiday weekend. AAA also projected that more than 616,000 state holiday travelers will fly to their destinations and about 180,000 state residents will travel by other modes of transportation, including boats and trains.

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