PITTSBURGH - AAA says air travel will be down for the Thanksgiving holiday period this year because of tight budgets, fewer airplanes in the air and more fees from airlines.

However, the automobile club said there will be an uptick in automobile travel this holiday, with 33.2 million predicted to hit the roads for a trip of 50 miles or more from home, compared with 32.5 million in 2008, an increase of 2.1 percent.

The total number of travelers for the holiday is predicted at 38.4 million, compared with 37.8 million.

AAA noted last year's Thanksgiving period witnessed a large drop of 25.2 percent in the number of travelers compared with the prior year as the nation grappled with housing and financial troubles that had burst on the scene in early fall.

"Although far too many Americans remain unemployed or under other financial stress, AAA's projected increase in Thanksgiving travel from one year ago is another hopeful sign that economic conditions are stabilizing and improving in some areas," said Glen MacDonell, AAA's national director of travel services.

The predicted decrease in air travelers is a continuation of a decades-long trend that AAA said shows air travel as a percentage of total Thanksgiving travel has declined substantially. The number since the year 2000 is down 62 percent, the automobile association said.

AAA said average airfares are down by 4 percent from Thanksgiving 2008, while hotel rates are down by 11 percent on average.

AAA conducts a survey of 1,350 households though the Massachusetts research firm IHS Global Insight to determine its holiday travel predictions.

As for rules that have changed in airline security since last Thanksgiving, the Transportation Security Administration has begun implementing its Secure Flight program, which switches pre-flight departure watch list matching duties from the airlines to the TSA. As of May 15, airlines began asking passengers to provide their name exactly as it appears on the government-issued identification they travel with when making airline reservations.

The 3-1-1 rule for carry-on items continues: Liquids or gels must be in 3-ounce or smaller containers, carried in a 1-quart clear plastic zip-top bag, with one such bag per traveler to be placed in the security bin.

Travelers are advised by the TSA to arrive at the airport early and to be patient.