Here’s what to expect on the highways and in the skies during the holiday season
The COVID pandemic may have wrecked 2020 for many people, but that’s not stopping an awful lot of folks from traveling for the holidays.
An estimated 84.5 million people — about one of every four Americans — is expected to hit the road or take to the skies during the Christmas travel period Dec. 23-Jan. 3, according to the AAA travel assistance company.
That figure includes an estimated 6.8 million Texans who plan to travel, AAA says.
While those numbers represent a 29% decline from last Christmas, it still represents a tremendous amount of traffic.
About 96% of travelers will drive in a car, AAA-Texas says. Those who drive will find gas prices about 30 cents per gallon cheaper than last holiday season.
“Typically, cheaper gas prices are an incentive for last minute trips, especially around the holidays, but the lower prices and less traffic aren’t driving decisions to hit the road this year,” AAA Texas spokesman Daniel Armbruster said in an email. “Texans are looking to the public health landscape, including COVID-19 case numbers, to make their travel decisions.”
The Christmas projections show a dramatic increase in travel from Thanksgiving, when an estimated 50 million Americans were expected to hit the roads — although the final tally, which still hasn’t been completed, may end up being even lower than that projection, AAA says.
Travel industry hurting
Still, with that many people on the roads, restaurants, convenience stores, travel plazas and other segments of the travel industry could get a long-awaited boost in sales.
However, the hotel industry isn’t as optimistic.
About 74% of people who plan to travel overnight will stay with a relative or friend, not at a rented room, according to a survey conducted for the American Hotel and Lodging Association.
“We understand the importance of following CDC guidelines to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and support the government’s actions. However, with the dramatic decline in travel, hotels will face a harsh winter through no fault of our own,” Chip Rogers, the association’s president and chief executive officer, said in a statement. He called on Congress to provide financial help for hotel operators.
Most Christmas travelers will be in the Rocky Mountain region as well as the southwestern and southeastern United States, according to Gas Buddy.
Texans are paying an average of $1.90 a gallon for regular unleaded, compared to about $2.19 a gallon nationally, according to AAA.
In the Fort Worth area, the cheapest gas the week before Christmas could be found for $1.67 per gallon at a Costco in far north Fort Worth, and $1.69 at a Korner Food Store on Calmont Avenue in west Fort Worth, according to GasBuddy.
For those traveling to other states, the website TripTik.AAA.com can help motorists understand what to expect regarding COVID restrictions in each state.
And, even those who stay home can expect heavy traffic in metro areas due to holiday travel, said Bob Pishue, a transportation analyst at INRIX, a company that analyzes data from car navigation systems.
“Despite warnings, Thanksgiving traffic surged more than 30% above the daily pandemic average in some states,” Pishue said. “We expect a similar increase around the upcoming winter holidays unless stricter travel restrictions are put in place and followed.”
