Record Holiday Travel Predicted by AAA

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The American Automobile Association predicts the nation’s Memorial Day travel this year will be the heaviest in eleven years. More than 38 million are expected to travel and that is the second-highest number on record.

AAA Oklahoma indicated the high volume of travel is spurred by the lowest gasoline prices in more than a decade. The 38 million represents a 2.1 percent increase compared to last year.  An estimated 89% will be done by car, pickup or RV.

“Americans are ready to travel in numbers not seen in more than a decade,” said Chuck Mai with AAA Oklahoma. “The great American road trip is officially back thanks to the lowest Memorial Day gas prices in 11 years.”

He said an estimated 657,500 Oklahomans will travel over the coming Memorial Day weekend, an increase of 1.3 percent from Memorial Day 2015. Auto travel is expected to be up 1.6 percent while the air travel will grow by 0.6 percent.

Oklahoma’s gasoline prices average $2.04 as of mid-week but it’s still 41 cents a gallon less than on May 19, 2015. Nationally, the average is $2.26 at the pump, a drop of 45 cents from the price one year ago.