Prices may be soaring at the pump, but AAA doesn't expect that to impact travel for the upcoming Memorial Day holiday weekend.
Nearly 35 million Americans are expected to travel next weekend, most of them by car.
AAA's travel forecast calls for 34.9 million people to travel 50 miles or more from home over Memorial Day weekend. That's a slight increase of 0.2 percent from last year.
But AAA doesn't think high pump prices will damper Memorial Day getaways.
"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 overall improvement in economic sentiment," said Tom Chestnut, President/CEO of AAA Western and Central New York. "Some travelers will compensate for the higher fuel costs by cutting other areas of their travel budget."
A recent survey of those likely to travel finds six out of ten say higher gasoline prices won't impact their travel plans. Four out of ten travelers said gas prices would impact their travel plans, but 70 percent them say they'll cut costs in other areas like taking a shorter trip or traveling by an alternate mode of transportation.
The average gas price in Syracuse is currently $3.99, which is down four cents from a week ago.
Some Central New Yorkers say those prices will keep them at home for Memorial Day weekend.
"I was going to go to the beach and have a cookout...but it's really not worth it because you have to buy all your stuff for Memorial Day and the gas," says driver Rebecca Snyder. "It's better to just do something at home."
Driver Teri Wright-Briggs agrees.
"People are going to be fighting at the gas pump maybe to see where is the cheapest place to get gas," says Wright-Briggs. "I'd rather just stay home with the family and barbecue and not even worry about it."
Across the state, you can expect to pay an average of $4.12 at the pump. The national average for a gallon of self-service regular is $3.90 right now.
Despite those higher gas prices, car travel continues to be the dominant mode of transportation for holiday travelers. Almost nine out of ten people surveyed say they'll travel by car over the Memorial Day weekend.
Approximately 30.9 million people will drive to their destination.
Nearly 2.93 million leisure air travelers will fly over the holiday weekend, an 11.5 percent increase from last year. It will cost you more to fly though. AAA says Memorial Day weekend airfares are expected to be 14 percent higher than last year with an average lowest round-trip rate of $201.
The remaining three percent of holiday travelers are expected to travel by other modes, including rail, bus and watercraft.
It will cost you more to stay in a hotel too. Hotel rates for AAA Three Diamond lodgings are expected to increase five percent from a year ago, averaging $148 per night. AAA Two Diamond hotels are 10 percent more than last Memorial Day at a cost of $109 per night. Weekend daily car rental rates will average $38.
Are you traveling over the Memorial Day holiday? If so, how are you getting there? Are gas prices factoring into your decision? If you're not traveling, why? Leave your thoughts below.
