The national average for gas is hovering near $4 a gallon — about a dollar more than last year's levels — but Americans are still planning on getting away for the long Memorial Day holiday weekend.
According to just-released AAA projections, 34.9 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home over the holiday weekend — an increase of 0.2 percent from 2010.
“Memorial Day travel experienced a gain of more than 14 percent in 2010, and this year we expect to add slightly to that gain due to an increase in air travel and an improvement in the overall domestic economic picture,” said AAA President and CEO Robert L. Darbelnet in a statement. “Some travelers will compensate for the higher fuel costs by cutting other areas of their travel budgets.”
While the majority of travelers will drive to their destination, AAA expects that number to be slightly lower than last year — 30.9 million people compared to 31 million people in 2010.
The average lowest round-trip airfare will cost $201, AAA predicts, up 14 percent compared to last year. Regardless, people traveling by plane is expected to jump 11.5 percent.
Memorial Day is considered the unofficial start of the summer travel season. AAA defines the holiday travel period as Thursday, May 26 through Monday, May 30.
The value of vacation
Data from a recent spate of polls, surveys and predictions show Americans believe vacations are valuable.
Six in 10 Americans say that going somewhere on vacation this year is important, according to a USA Today/Gallup poll.
However, 71 percent predict they will have to spend more on transportation in order to get there. That compares with 39 percent of Americans who last year said they would spend more on transportation, when the average price of gas in the U.S. was about $2.80 a gallon.
"People have stayed home for the past few years and the staycation is getting tired," said Anne Banas, executive editor for Smarter Travel. "Most people don’t perceive it as a real vacation and they want to get away some place interesting and more satisfying. So, those who have perhaps put off a vacation the past few years, have saved up, and are considering going this year.”
In a new TripAdvisor poll, 86 percent of Americans said they intend to get away — a three percent uptick from last year — and an equal number, about 63 percent, plan to fly or drive.
"Time and time again we see that U.S. travelers are undeterred by outside influences when it comes to summer travel," Karen Drake, senior director of the travel website TripAdvisor, which conducted the poll, said in a statement.
"While rising gas prices will continue to keep Americans mindful of mileage, the vast majority intend to hit the road for leisure trips this summer," Drake said.
Pickup in overseas flights
Earlier this week, the Air Transport Association said that despite higher fares, more people will fly this summer than last year — especially overseas.
The industry trade group expects 206 million passengers will travel on U.S. airlines in June, July and August, a 1.5 percent increase over the same months in 2010.
The group expects minimal growth in domestic travel this summer, but a record 26.3 million passengers on international flights operated by U.S. airlines, topping 2010's 25.8 million. The group said that's partly due to stronger economies outside the U.S.
Airlines have raised fares more than a half-dozen times this year to cover a 30 percent increase in fuel prices. The average round-trip domestic fare last summer was $340, according to government figures. It could be $375 or more this summer if fares rise again as much as they did last summer. That's not counting fees passengers might pay for checked bags, roomier seats and the other items.
Some airline executives have publicly wondered how much more consumers can take. John Heimlich, chief economist for the air-transport group, noted that passenger revenue rose in the first quarter, which he said indicated that people are still willing to travel, even at the higher fares.
But Helane Becker, an analyst with Dahlman Rose & Co., said since most leisure travelers book far in advance, the higher airfares forced some people to plan Memorial Day trips that don't involve flying.
U.S. airlines lost $1 billion in the first quarter of this year. Still, if summer travel matches the forecasts, and if the recent drop in oil prices sticks, the airlines are likely to avoid a repeat of 2008, when record fuel prices spurred talk about which airlines were most likely to go bankrupt.
"We don't see the same level of panic," Heimlich said. "It's a smoother summer and sort of a feeling of, 'We've seen this before.' "
According to just-released AAA projections, 34.9 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home over the holiday weekend — an increase of 0.2 percent from 2010.
“Memorial Day travel experienced a gain of more than 14 percent in 2010, and this year we expect to add slightly to that gain due to an increase in air travel and an improvement in the overall domestic economic picture,” said AAA President and CEO Robert L. Darbelnet in a statement. “Some travelers will compensate for the higher fuel costs by cutting other areas of their travel budgets.”
While the majority of travelers will drive to their destination, AAA expects that number to be slightly lower than last year — 30.9 million people compared to 31 million people in 2010.
The average lowest round-trip airfare will cost $201, AAA predicts, up 14 percent compared to last year. Regardless, people traveling by plane is expected to jump 11.5 percent.
Memorial Day is considered the unofficial start of the summer travel season. AAA defines the holiday travel period as Thursday, May 26 through Monday, May 30.
The value of vacation
Data from a recent spate of polls, surveys and predictions show Americans believe vacations are valuable.
Six in 10 Americans say that going somewhere on vacation this year is important, according to a USA Today/Gallup poll.
However, 71 percent predict they will have to spend more on transportation in order to get there. That compares with 39 percent of Americans who last year said they would spend more on transportation, when the average price of gas in the U.S. was about $2.80 a gallon.
"People have stayed home for the past few years and the staycation is getting tired," said Anne Banas, executive editor for Smarter Travel. "Most people don’t perceive it as a real vacation and they want to get away some place interesting and more satisfying. So, those who have perhaps put off a vacation the past few years, have saved up, and are considering going this year.”
In a new TripAdvisor poll, 86 percent of Americans said they intend to get away — a three percent uptick from last year — and an equal number, about 63 percent, plan to fly or drive.
"Time and time again we see that U.S. travelers are undeterred by outside influences when it comes to summer travel," Karen Drake, senior director of the travel website TripAdvisor, which conducted the poll, said in a statement.
"While rising gas prices will continue to keep Americans mindful of mileage, the vast majority intend to hit the road for leisure trips this summer," Drake said.
Earlier this week, the Air Transport Association said that despite higher fares, more people will fly this summer than last year — especially overseas.
The industry trade group expects 206 million passengers will travel on U.S. airlines in June, July and August, a 1.5 percent increase over the same months in 2010.
The group expects minimal growth in domestic travel this summer, but a record 26.3 million passengers on international flights operated by U.S. airlines, topping 2010's 25.8 million. The group said that's partly due to stronger economies outside the U.S.
Airlines have raised fares more than a half-dozen times this year to cover a 30 percent increase in fuel prices. The average round-trip domestic fare last summer was $340, according to government figures. It could be $375 or more this summer if fares rise again as much as they did last summer. That's not counting fees passengers might pay for checked bags, roomier seats and the other items.
Some airline executives have publicly wondered how much more consumers can take. John Heimlich, chief economist for the air-transport group, noted that passenger revenue rose in the first quarter, which he said indicated that people are still willing to travel, even at the higher fares.
But Helane Becker, an analyst with Dahlman Rose & Co., said since most leisure travelers book far in advance, the higher airfares forced some people to plan Memorial Day trips that don't involve flying.
U.S. airlines lost $1 billion in the first quarter of this year. Still, if summer travel matches the forecasts, and if the recent drop in oil prices sticks, the airlines are likely to avoid a repeat of 2008, when record fuel prices spurred talk about which airlines were most likely to go bankrupt.
"We don't see the same level of panic," Heimlich said. "It's a smoother summer and sort of a feeling of, 'We've seen this before.' "
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