This is the week that holiday travel will swell and AAA Oklahoma predicts 1.1 million Oklahomans will either fly or drive somewhere for the Christmas weekend and the following week.
AAA expects an increase of 28,400 people across the state compared to the number of 2021 holiday travelers. The organization stated the numbers are approaching pre-COVID pandemic numbers. It also said 2022 is expected to be the third busiest year for holiday travel since the organization began tracking in 2000.
“This year, travel time will be extended due to Christmas Day and New Year’s Day falling on Sundays,” says Leslie Gamble, AAA Oklahoma’s Public Affairs and Government Relations Manager. “With hybrid work schedules, we are seeing more people take long weekends to travel because they can work remotely at their destination and be more flexible with the days they depart and return.”
2022 Projected Year-End Holiday Travelers – Oklahoma
|
NUMBER OF TRAVELERS
|
Total Population
|
2022 Travelers
|
Percent of population traveling
|
Percent change vs. 2021
|
|
Oklahoma TOTAL
Auto, Air & Other |
3,986,639*
|
1,092,339
|
27.4%
|
+2.6%
|
|
Oklahoma Auto
|
% of people travel by car
|
1,016,593
|
25.5%
|
+1.3%
|
|
Oklahoma Air
|
% of people travel by air
|
47,840
|
1.2%
|
+21.5%
|
|
Oklahoma Other
(train, bus, cruise, etc.) |
of people travel by other modes
|
27,906
|
0.7%
|
+26.4%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
National TOTAL
|
333.1 million*
|
112.7 million
|
33.8%
|
+3.3%
|
|
National Auto
|
90.4% of people travel by car
|
101.8 million
|
30.6%
|
+2.0%
|
|
National Air
|
6.4% of people travel by air
|
7.17 million
|
2.2%
|
+14.0%
|
|
National Other
(train, bus, cruise, etc.) |
3.2% of people travel by other modes
|
3.66 million
|
1.1%
|
+23.3%
|
*U.S. Census Bureau (v2021)/IHS Markit
“If the distance is not reasonable to drive, more people are taking to the air to maximize the time spent at their destination,” Gamble adds. “Conversely, if the travel distances are reasonable and more than one or two people in the household are taking the trip, it may be more cost-effective to drive rather than buy multiple air tickets, rent a car and spend more than they would like before the fun even begins.”