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HIGH POINT — Jennifer Case pumped her fist in the air as she filled the tank of her Subaru Outback on Monday afternoon. A full tank ran her less than $30 at the Costco on Wendover Avenue — and that tank is taking her home to Virginia for Thanksgiving.

“Earlier this year, I was really considering not even going home,” Case said. “I’ve got two small kids and when the gas prices were up around $4 a gallon I just couldn’t see doing it. But last week we made the decision — we’re going to make a road trip.”

Case and her family may find little traffic. Although AAA Carolinas estimates that 1.22 million North Carolinians will travel over the Thanksgiving holiday, that’s down over 2007. It’s estimated that 17,000 fewer motorists and 14,000 fewer air passengers will go more than 50 miles.

Ted Johnson, executive director of Piedmont Triad International airport, said the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after are still the year’s busiest air travel times. But this year they’re expecting the numbers at PTI to be lower — both because of falling gas prices and the failure of the discount airline Skybus.

“With gas prices down, I think that’s leading a lot of people to drive if they can,” Johnson said Monday. “But I suspect there are just a lot of people staying home too, because of the economy.”

David Hoffman, 46, said he and his family are celebrating at home this holiday season — both Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Though he found gas at $1.89 at the Shell on South Main Street in High Point on Monday, he said he doesn’t expect it to last.

“The price goes up, the price goes down, and you never know what’s going to happen,” Hoffman said. “We made our plans when it was still up over $3 a gallon, close to $4. And we’re sticking with that because everything has gotten so expensive it’s better not to travel at all.”

Hoffman said he and his family were excited when Skybus came to PTI and thought it would mean more family visits — but the company folded before they got a chance to book their tickets. Hoffman said airfares still haven’t come down enough for his family of five to consider flying.

“But the way we look at it is, as long as you have your family you have what’s important at the holidays,” Hoffman said. “We have each other and the family we can’t be with in our thoughts on Thanksgiving.”

Hoffman said his family plan phone calls for Thanksgiving — before and after the turkey.

“Visiting on the phone is the most affordable way to visit,” he said.

Contact Joe Killian at 883-4422, Ext. 228, or joe.killian@news-record.com