The number of Americans traveling this year in the U.S. for Thanksgiving is expected to increase 11.4 percent from 2009 thanks to an improved economy, travel and auto group AAA said on Tuesday.

Nearly 42.2 million travelers will venture at least 50 miles from home, an increase from the 37.9 million Americans that traveled last Thanksgiving.

The projected increase comes from a rise in gross domestic product, real disposable personal income and household net worth, combined with a drop in consumer debt, AAA said.

Around 12 percent more Americans will drive this year, those flying will rise 3.5 percent, AAA said.  While the increase in travelers is significant compared to last year’s negligible 0.2 percent growth, the 4.3 million new travelers are fewer than half the number that chose not to travel from 2007-2009.

Source: msnbc