Dec. 23, 2013—AAA expects around 94.5 million Americans, the highest number it has ever recorded, to travel roughly 50 miles or more from home during the year-end holiday season.
“While economic growth has stagnated, and consumer confidence has fallen, Americans will not be Scrooges when it comes to traveling this year,” said AAA chief operating officer Marshall L. Doney in a news release_notes. “AAA is projecting more Americans to travel than ever before to gather with friends and family, exchange presents, and ring in the New Year.”
The number of travellers represents an increase of .6 percent over last year. This is the fifth consecutive year of increases and it is the highest travel volume recorded by AAA for the Dec. 21 through Jan. 1 timeframe.
Highlights from this year’s 2013/2014 AAA Year-End Holidays Travel Forecast include:
- 91 percent of travelers (85.8 million) will travel by automobile, an increase of 0.9 percent.
- 29.7 percent of all Americans will take a trip this holiday, with 27 percent taking a road trip.
- Holiday air travel is expected to decline slightly to 5.53 million travelers from 5.61 last year.
- Median spending expected to increase slightly to $765, compared to $759 last year.
