Automotive organization AAA said it expects a slight decline in U.S. Thanksgiving holiday travel for the first time since 2002.

The auto club forecasts about 41 million people in the United States will travel 50 miles or more for the Thanksgiving holiday, a drop of 600,000 travelers -- or 1.4 percent -- from the 41.6 million travelers in 2007.

"The overall state of the economy continues to present real challenges for some Americans looking to travel this Thanksgiving," said Robert Darbelnet, president and chief executive of AAA. "However, the desire to spend time with family, combined with significantly lower gasoline prices than earlier this year, will provide a strong impetus for many Americans to travel this holiday season."