Gasoline prices are dropping nationwide, making travel by car a more attractive option during the Thanksgiving holiday.

AAA expects 81 percent of American holiday travelers to make trips by car around Thanksgiving, only a small decrease from the number of people who drove last year.

Locally, the price of regular unleaded gasoline at Presto Gas and Convenience Store, 602 W. Ninth St., decreased by 4 cents to $1.65 a gallon overnight Wednesday, according to manager Ray Bloxsom.

Lawrence resident Caitlyn Cargill, who was fueling her vehicle Thursday at Presto, said gasoline price reductions offer travelers an option besides expensive plane tickets.

“It’s definitely a lot cheaper traveling by car than it would have been a couple of months ago,” she said.

Jim LaPoint, of Lawrence, plans to visit family in Dallas and Pittsburgh for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

“I think that the prices have been way too high for too long a period of time,” he said. “We’re going to have an opportunity to travel a little bit more now because gas prices are a little bit lower.”

He hopes that the decrease in the price of gas will spread to other modes of transportation. “Sometimes it’s easier to fly than it is to drive, but the airline prices haven’t shown any reduction yet,” he said.