AAA: Holiday travelers to top 100 million for first time, up 1.4%

With gas prices staying low, nearly one in three U.S. residents will travel this holiday season, breaking the 100 million-traveler volume for the first time since the American Automobile Association has been keeping record, the auto club estimated in its annual forecast released Tuesday.

About 100.5 million are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home, a 1.4% increase over last year and the seventh consecutive year of holiday travel growth, it said. The holiday travel period this year, as defined by AAA, is from Dec. 23 to Jan. 3, 2016.

“Rising incomes and low gas prices are helping to fill stockings this year, and more people than ever will choose to spend those savings on travel this year,” AAA CEO Marshall Doney said in a statement.

Oil prices are at their seven-year lows and most travelers will opt to drive. About 91.3 million travelers will get in their car, up 1.4% from last year.

Air travel is estimated to increase 0.7% with 5.8 million flying. Other modes of travel, including cruises, trains and buses, will increase 2.4% to 3.4 million travelers.

Follow Paste BN reporter Roger Yu @RogerYu_.