Millions of Americans got an early jump on their Thanksgiving travel Wednesday, with many choosing to drive or take trains and buses instead of flying.

Many Americans are forgoing air travel for the Thanksgiving holiday and opting for cheaper alternatives because of economic pressures. Others are staying home completely, partly to avoid traffic and airport lines, partly to save a buck.

Thanksgiving travel plummeted 25 percent between 2007 and 2008, and many of those habits seem to be sticking this year. AAA predicts about the same number of people are traveling this year, inching up only by about 1.4 percent.

About 38 million domestic travelers are expected to go somewhere this holiday, far from the roughly 58 million who made holiday journeys in 2005 when the economy was better.

At Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Manu Maile is checking to make sure passengers follow American Airlines' limits for carry-on luggage of one bag and one personal item. The employee of contractor Prospect Airport Services said more people were trying to sneak an extra bag on board this year.

She also said crowds are smaller and less frenzied than last Thanksgiving.