Almost 90 percent of North Carolinians traveling this Thanksgiving holiday will be celebrating with a road trip, while enjoying the lowest gas prices in five years.

A total of 1,345,000 North Carolinians are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home. About 1,210,500 of those travelers will drive, an increase of about 48,600 than last year.

Gas prices in North Carolina have dropped dramatically in the past two months. The statewide average is $2.77 today, down 57 cents from Labor Day, Sept. 1, when they averaged $3.34. North Carolinians are paying 46 cents less at the pump compared to last Thanksgiving, when they paid $3.23.

“Lower prices at the pump have encouraged more people to hit the road this Thanksgiving holiday to spend time with their family and friends,” said David E. Parsons, president and CEO of AAA Carolinas. “With Thanksgiving being the busiest travel weekend of the year, we want to remind families to take extra measures to ensure safety on the highways.”

Thanksgiving is one of the most dangerous holidays for motorists due to its five-day length and the heavy traffic caused by the high number of travelers on the road. Last year, 12 people died in crashes on North Carolina highways during the holiday weekend.

The Thanksgiving holiday period is defined as Wednesday, Nov.26 through Sunday, Nov.30. The highest number of travelers on the road will depart for their destinations on Wednesday and most will return on Sunday.

The top five driving destinations this time of the year for people living in the Carolinas are Charlotte, Charleston, Asheville, Orlando and Myrtle Beach, according to AAA Carolinas.

Those driving through North Carolina will encounter the highest average price per gallon of unleaded gas in Asheville at $2.92; the least expensive average price is in the Charlotte-Gastonia area at $2.73.

North Carolina motorists can expect to see lower gas prices in the bordering states of South Carolina ($2.59), Virginia ($2.66), Tennessee ($2.62), and Georgia ($2.76).

Despite a small increase in airfares, up 1 percent from last year, more travelers are taking to the skies this year, about 92,700 or 7 percent of all travelers. The busiest departure date for air travel is Monday, Nov. 24, with the highest number expected to return the following Monday, Dec. 1, or later.

An estimated 40,300 (3 percent) will use other modes of transportation such as train, bus or boat.

Travelers not staying with relatives or friends will encounter a moderate increase in hotel rates compared to last year. AAA Three Diamond hotels average $154 per night, compared to $142 last year, while the average hotel rate for AAA Two Diamond hotels has risen 9 percent with an average cost of $114 per night. AAA rates hotels from one to five Diamonds based on standards in physical attributes, hospitality and amenities. AAA Three Diamond hotels represent the largest number of AAA rated accommodations.

Weekend daily car rental rates have increased 10 percent this year to average $55 per day.

For the latest on construction delays, go to the North Carolina Department of Transportation website, www.ncdot.org. Click on Travel & Maps and then on the Traveler Information Management System for up-to-date traffic information related to closed travel lanes, accidents or expected congestion due to special events.

South Carolina Department of Transportation prohibits lane closures on interstate highways and high-volume multilane routes during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, considered to be from noon on Wednesday, Nov. 26, until 6 a.m. Monday, Dec. 1.

Survey data is taken from AAA’s Leisure Travel Index, AAA/HIS Global Insight holiday travel forecast and AAA Carolinas data.

To estimate fuel costs, travelers can go to www.fuelcostcalculator.com to input starting city, destination, and the make and model of their car.

The free AAA Mobile app for iPhone and Android devices uses GPS navigation to help travelers map a route, find updated gas prices, view nearby member discounts and access AAA Roadside Assistance.