WASHINGTON -- More Americans will travel this Christmas-New Year's holiday than ever before, according to AAA, which estimates that 64.9 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday, a 2.2% increase from last year's 63.5 million travelers.
Because hotel rates, air fares and gas prices have risen only slightly from this time last year, Americans will not hold back when making travel arrangements this holiday season, said AAA CEO and President Robert L. Darbelnet. This Christmas-New Year's holiday we will see a healthy growth in [image-nocss] travelers, following relatively flat travel seasons earlier in the year.
Approximately 52.6 million travelers (81% of all holiday travelers) expect to go by motor vehicle, a 2.1% increase from the 51.5 million who drove a year ago.
Holiday auto travelers will find gasoline prices nationwide currently averaging $2.29 for a gallon of self-serve regular gasolineup 7 cents during the last month, and 12 cents higher than one year ago.
Another 9 million (nearly 14% of holiday travelers) plan to travel by airplane, up 2.7% from the 8.7 million that flew over the holidays last year. A projected 3.3 million travelers (5%) will go by train, bus, or other mode of transportation, up slightly from 3.21 million a year ago. [Editor's Note: One holiday traveler is expected to go by reindeer-powered sleigh.]
As in 2005, the greatest number of Christmas-New Year auto travelers will originate in the Southeast with 13.8 million, followed by the West, 13.2 million; Midwest, 10.2 million; the Great Lakes, 8.3 million; and the Northeast, 7.2 million.
Most travelers will avoid the high hotel rates expected over Christmas and New Year's, with 66% of holiday travelers expect to stay at a friend or relative's home. Hotels and motels are a distant second at 19.7%, followed by cabin/condo, 2.4%; camper/trailer/RV/tent, 1.9%; other, 1.8%; no overnight stay, 5.1%; and didn't know, 1.3%.
Small towns and rural areas are the expected destination for 37.6% of holiday travelers, followed by cities, 35.3%. Oceans and beaches should see 10.1% of travelers, followed by mountain areas, 6.5%; theme/amusement parks, 3.9%; 0.7% for lake areas, and 0.1% for state/national parks. Another 4.7% responded with other and 1.2% didn't know.
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