The US is preparing to mark the annual Thanksgiving holiday, with more Americans taking to the road or skies for family visits than in recent years.

美国将要迎来一年一度的感恩节，今年回家团聚的美国人比近几年要更多。

Major airports, such as Chicago O\Hare, are expecting a 2% drop in holiday travellers
An estimated 43m people are expected to travel before and after the holiday, the highest number since 2007.

On Wednesday, poor weather on the East Coast caused widely expected Thanksgiving travel delays.

On Friday, eager shoppers are expected to form battle lines as stores open their doors early for sales.

The annual Black Friday shopping extravaganza（娱乐表演） usually sees retailers¹ open as early as 03:00 or 04:00. This year, though, the rush has crept into Thanksgiving Day itself.

About 1,000 Gap stores will be open on Thanksgiving and several large retailers, including Target, Best Buy and Macy's will open at midnight.

Wal-Mart, which opens many of its "super-centres" 24 hours a day, will also open the rest of its stores at 22:00 on Thanksgiving.

Cutting corners

Despite a projected rise in traveller numbers, 2% fewer people are expected to travel by air compared to 2010, according to the Air Transport Association of America.

High fuel and flight costs have changed travel plans for some, but other travellers are determined² to make the trip.

Shun³ Tucker, a Chicago resident, wanted to spend Thanksgiving with his family in Memphis, Tennessee, but told the Associated Press he did not want to spend an estimated $300 (£193) on a flight.

Instead, he chose to book a ticket for a nine-hour-bus ride at a cost of just $49.

"Family is important and we love the holiday," Bill Curtis, a retiree from Los Angeles told the news agency. "So we cut corners（抄近路） [in] other places so we can afford to travel."