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A Record 100 Million Will Travel During the 12 Days of Christmas

For the first time on record, an estimated 100.5 million Americans – nearly 1 in 3 people – will travel more than 50 miles over the 12 days of the upcoming Christmas holiday, according to AAA. 

A record number of U.S. residents are expected to travel during the holidays in 2015.

A record number of U.S. residents are expected to travel during the holidays in 2015.

Photo Credit: Connecticut Department of Transportation

The record number represents a 1.4 percent increase over last year and is the seventh consecutive year of year-end holiday growth for travel between Dec. 23 and Jan. 3. 

Of the overall 100.5 million travelers: •

  • Nearly 91 percent (91.3 million) plan to travel by motor vehicle 
  • 5.7 percent plans to fly 
  • The remaining 3.4 percent (3.4 million) will take some other mode of transportation
Increases in travel from New England are expected to outpace the national increases, AAA says. More than 4.3 million New Englanders are expected to travel, up 2.2 percent over last year. More than 3.8 million are expected to drive to their destinations, 2.4 percent more than in 2014. 

Rising incomes, lower gas prices, higher employment and low crude oil prices are prompting the spike in travel, AAA said. 

By Christmas, the national average price for a gallon of gas is expected to fall below the $2 mark, with most U.S. drivers paying the lowest gas prices on New Year’s Day since 2009.

The national average gas price of $2.01 is 54 cents less than last year. Tickets for the most popular airline destinations are also approximately 6 percent lower.

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