AAA projects more than 103 million Americans will travel for the Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year holidays. This is the most on record and a 1.5 percent increase, with 1.5 million more people traveling compared to last year.
In Oregon, roughly 1.3 million will travel. The increase comes despite one less travel day this holiday season. The year-end holiday travel period is defined as Friday, Dec. 23 to Monday, Jan. 2, 2017.
The increase in holiday travel this year is being driven by additional consumer spending, a result of improvements in the labor market and rising wages. Additionally, relatively low gas prices and increased consumer optimism will prompt more Americans than ever to set out on road trips, take to the skies, or board trains, buses and cruise ships to celebrate the holidays.
The vast majority of travelers—91 percent or 93.6 million people—will take a holiday road trip, an increase of 1.5 percent over last year. In Oregon, nearly 1.2 million will drive.
Air travel is expected to increase by 2.5 percent, with more than 6 million Americans and 236,000 Oregonians flying to their holiday destinations. Travel by other modes of transportation, including cruises, trains and buses, will decrease slightly, to 3.5 million travelers.
“’Tis the season for travel. More Americans than ever before will travel to celebrate the holidays despite climbing gas prices,” says Marie Dodds, Public Affairs Director of AAA Oregon/Idaho.
Pump prices have risen in November and December this year due to the agreement reached by OPEC to cut oil production beginning in January 2017. But gas prices remain relatively low compared to previous years. Most U.S. drivers will pay more over the holidays than last year, but will still enjoy the second-cheapest holiday gas prices since 2009. The current national average is $2.24 and Oregon’s average is $2.40.
