WASHINGTON -- AAA estimates that 65.2 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home during the Christmas-New Year's holiday period, only a 0.7% increase from last year's 64.7 million travelers; however, for those planning to travel during the last holiday season of the year, AAA expects gasoline prices and airfares will be well above last year's levels.
"Whether driving or flying, Americans face steep increases in their travel budgets during this Christmas-New Year's holiday," said Robert L. Darbelnet, president and CEO of AAA. "Gasoline prices [image-nocss] remain at unprecedented levels for this time of year with prices of $3 a gallon or more a common sight across much of the country. Airfares averaging 16% more than last Christmas means that bargains may be hard to find for those looking to fly to their destinations."
Approximately 53 million travelers expect to go by motor vehicle, a 0.9% increase from the 52.5 million who drove in 2006. More than 81% of all holiday travelers will be hitting the roads this holiday season.
AAA expects 8.9 million Americans (13.7% of holiday travelers) to travel by airplane, a slight decrease of 0.3% from last Christmas holiday. A projected 3.3 million travelers will go by train, bus or other mode of transportation.
According to AAA's Leisure Travel Index, Americans can expect higher prices for airfares and hotel rates this holiday season. After no change in price from 2005 to 2006, the average price for an airline ticket is up 16% for travel during the week of Christmas. Hotel rates for AAA Rated Three Diamond hotels climbed 4% when compared to last Christmas. Travelers will experience some relief when renting a car this Christmas as rental rates are 4% less than last year.
For those traveling during the week of New Year's, AAA expects a 9% increase in both airfares and hotel rates for AAA Rated Three Diamond hotels over last year's prices. Car rental rates, however, are down 13%.
The majority of holiday travelers (43.2%) will travel with two to three people from their household. Nearly 37% plan to travel alone or with one other person from their household. About 20% of travelers will travel with four or more people from their household.
More than 70% of households with children under the age of 18 plan to take their children with them during their holiday trips. Just over 29% of households with children will travel without them. The region with the greatest percentage of family travelers is the Great Lakes at 81.2%; followed by the Midwest at 75.1%; the West at 73.1%; the Northeast at 66.9%; and the Southeast at 63.6%.
The Southeast is expected to produce the largest number of automobile travelers with 14 million, followed by the West with 13.2 million; Midwest, 10.3 million; the Great Lakes, 8.4 million; and the Northeast, 7.2 million.
The greatest number of air travelers will also originate from the Southeast with 2.7 million, followed by the West with 2.5 million; the Northeast, 1.8 million; Midwest, 1 million; and the Great Lakes with 909,000.
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