Thursday, December 18, 2014PITTSBURGH -- Nearly 16.04 million people in the East North Central Region of the AAA will travel 50 miles or more to reach their year-end holiday destinations, AAA's travel office projected Wednesday. This is an increase of 4.8% from the 15.16 million people who traveled in the same region last year.
The East North Central Region encompasses Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin.
Some 14.7 million people will be traveling by car, up 5% from 2013, and 585,000 people will take to the sky, an increase of 1.5% from last year, AAA North Central predicts. This is the highest forecast growth rate for the year-end holiday season since 2009 and the highest travel volume. The year-end holiday period runs from Dec. 23 to Jan. 4.
AAA forecasts 94.5 million Americans to travel within the United States. Nationally, 94.5 million Americans are expected to travel 50 miles or more, up 4% from the 94.8 million in 2013; 91% (89.5 million) will drive, up 4.3% from last year, while 5.8% (5.7 million) will fly, up 1% from 2013. And, 3.4% (3.4 million) will take other modes of transportation, an increase of 3% from 2013
Because Christmas and New Year’s Day fall on a Thursday, this is the longest travel period since 2008.
The national average price of a gallon of gasoline is $2.51, the lowest in five years and 71 cents lower than last year. Gas prices have fallen for 83 days in a row, helping to increase Americans’ disposable income 3.5% from year-ago levels, which the AAA says has had a positive effect on travel.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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