RICHMOND, Va. (WSLS) – AAA projects the number of year-end holiday travelers will top 100 million for the first time on record.
Nearly one in three Americans will take a trip this holiday season, with 100.5 million expected to journey 50 miles or more from home.
This represents a 1.4 percent increase over last year and the seventh consecutive year of year-end holiday travel growth.
In Virginia, AAA also expects the highest number of travelers ever, as over 2.8 million journey to holiday celebrations between Wednesday, December 23, 2015 and Sunday, January 3, 2016.
“Dramatically lower gas prices and rising income levels are adding to the joy of the season this year as travelers use extra dollars to head out in record numbers,” said Martha Mitchell Meade, Manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic in a written statement, released on Tuesday. “One in three people in the Commonwealth are anticipated to go 50 miles or more to celebrate, making Virginia roadways busier than they have ever been during this time of year.”
Driving remains most popular mode of travel for year-end holiday travel:Nationally, more than 90 percent of travelers (91.3 million people) will drive to their holiday destinations, an increase of 1.4 percent over last year. Air travel is expected to increase by 0.7 percent, with 5.8 million Americans flying to their holiday destinations. Travel by other modes of transportation, including cruises, trains and buses, will increase 2.4 percent, to 3.4 million travelers.
Virginia drivers are estimated to total just shy of 2.6 million and also represent the overwhelming majority of those traveling (90 percent). A slight decrease in the number of airline passengers in Virginia is projected with just over 151 thousand taking to the skies.
Lowest New Year’s gas prices in seven years expected: The national average is pennies away from the sub $2 mark which will help make holiday travel less expensive this year. Today, the national average is $2.01 per gallon, 54 cents less than last year. AAA expects most U.S. drivers will pay the lowest gas prices on New Year’s Day since 2009.
As the national average flirts closely with sub $2 per gallon gasoline, Virginia drivers have already been enjoying that level sporadically throughout the year and consistently since mid-November.
The average price for a gallon of gasoline in Virginia today is $1.85 per gallon or 57 cents less than last year.
