Holiday Travel Rises as Holiday Nears

BECKLEY -- Millions hit the road for their holiday destinations, packing the roads and crowding the airports.

AAA predicted the largest travel increase for any major holiday in 2009.

AAA forecasts 87.7 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home during the Christmas holiday, an increase of 3.8 percent. They are calling this season's growth the largest year-over-year percentage increase since the 2003 year-end holiday. On average, motorists across the country are expected to see gas prices about four cents less than a month ago, but 93 cents more than last year at this time, according to AAA. They estimate nearly 78 million Americans, 88 percent of holiday travelers, will travel by car; 4 million to 5 percent, by plane.

"Christmas is falling at the end of the week so people are taking longer weekends. And they have a longer time to travel," said AAA District Office Supervisor Crissy Gray.

While car and air travel are up, AAA said bus and train travel are down. Nearly six million Americans traveled by train or bus, an overall decrease of 3.1 percent from a year ago. AAA reported that holiday travelers are in it for the long haul. They stated that most folks hiked nearly 800 miles, round-trip, from home.