It might not be showing in the unemployment numbers, but AAA Mid-Atlantic is seeing signs of a recovery in its projections of Thanksgiving travel.

The organizations is predicting an 11.4 percent jump in the numbers of Americans planning to travel at least 50 miles from home over the holiday weekend, which AAA defines as lasting from next Wednesday to the following Sunday. AAA spokeswoman Ragina Averella said the increase reflects a modest  improvement in Americans' financial position over a year ago.

 The rebound does not suggest a full recovery from the depths of the recession, however. The 42.2 million Americans expected to travel are 30 percent fewer than the record 58.6 million set in 2005. Averella said the planned increase reflects modest gains in income and a stabilization of the employment market compared with the heavy losses seen in the previous two years.

AAA predicts the vast majority of travelers, 39.7 million, will travel by car -- up 12 percent from a year ago. It projects a 3.5 percent increase in the number of travelers flying.