Gas Prices Put Brakes On Holiday Travel

Fewer Americans Will Travel More Than 50 Miles Over Memorial Day Weekend, AAA Says

(AP)  High fuel prices are prompting many Americans to reconsider their Memorial Day travel plans, AAA says.

The automobile club released a survey Thursday projecting that the number of Americans traveling more than 50 miles from home over the long holiday weekend will fall nearly 1 percent from last year.

"Many Americans are feeling a financial pinch this holiday weekend from record high gasoline prices and other factors," said AAA president and chief executive Robert Darbelnet.

About 31.7 million Americans plan to travel via car over Memorial Day weekend, a 1 percent decline from 32 million last year. About 4.35 million will travel via plane, a decline of about half a percent from the 4.37 million who flew last year. Another 1.8 million will travel via train, bus or other type of transportation.

At the pump, the national average price of a gallon of regular gas rose 1.8 cents overnight to a $3.776, according to a survey of stations by AAA and the Oil Price Information Service. Prices are 67 cents higher than a year ago, and many analysts think they could rise as high as $4 on a national basis in coming weeks. Consumers in many areas are already paying that much, or more.

High prices have affected demand for gasoline, which has mostly fallen since January, according to Energy Department data.

Despite the expected drop in travel, Darbelnet notes, "more than 12 percent of the U.S. population will be celebrating the Memorial Day weekend away from home." Still, a long-term decline in travel due to high prices could hurt the economy's leisure sector, he said.

"If a trend toward higher gas prices and fewer travelers were to continue, it would eventually harm travel-dependent companies that provide employment opportunities and tax revenues in almost every city and town in America," Darbelnet said.

Other travel costs are also on the rise, AAA said. The average Memorial Day weekend air fare will rise 8 percent from last year, to $179. The average cost of a rental car will jump 45 percent from last year, to $45 a day.

AAA's findings are based on an online survey of more than 2,000 adults, supplemented by surveys of 6,500 people who live in the top 10 travel states. The Travel Industry Association, a trade group, analyzes the data and provides AAA with the forecasts.

[toolmangler-2009]

In 2004 the cost of Gas was $2.28 a gallon. I was looking at some reciepts from that year recently.
Imagine the difference 4 years makes of Bush-Co and Republican garbage and then imagine 4 more years of McBush Jr. and more Republican garbage.

Good Job George---said the anti-christ
Posted by deacon20081 at 11:24 PM : May 15, 2008




"last updated October, 1999
In Davenport, Iowa the price of gasoline is $1.17. During the last year it went as low as $0.86"


That is 4 months before Bushy_baby began his first term as "The USA destroyer" oooopppsss. I mean ''Pres''

[olebd]

I don''t know. I''m going about 5 MPH above the speed limit and most people still pass me going at least 15 MPH faster. What''s the hurry?

On a 5 mile strech of interstate, I counted 86 tractor trailers. It seems as if traffic hasn''t thinned out at all.

I counted 8 RV''s in that 5 mile stretch and most of those were the large class A type.

People need to discipline themselves more. Stop driving, stop speeding when you have to drive and find things to do at home.

We''ve got a long way to go.

[michellem99-2009]

I am in my 50s, never married and never had kids. So the rich get richer oh well ye know the drill..bush yep the man from hell and no he is for himself not us..do we have a chioce. I call my folks by phone. I use the computer. we use to say money talks and bs walks, Money talks and they listen. Money poor and walk.

[beehive21-2009]

Stay home,relax and forget about all the hustle,start a garden.

[wineberry]

Gas prices and food prices both are hurting everyone of the middle to low income bracket. Yes, Bush and his hinchmen have a lot to do with it, and the big oil companies are having their heyday. But I also believe we in the US have brought this on to a certain degree ourselves. I say that because if you look at what happened right after WWII, when a population explosion took place when our men came home from the war which brought in the generation of "baby boomers". I myself was born in that generation. Well now the baby boomers grew up and had children, and some of those children now have children, so there is a much, much greater demand on the supply of food and gas both. Then there is the great influx of illegal immigrants, which are also drawing upon the supply of food and gas. It all adds up. So here we all are with more demand than supply, and an administration which is seizing upon that problem to make a huge profit. Until recently Bush didn''t even seem to be aware of what gas costs, and I doubt he cares what food is costing either. Afterall, it''s not coming out of his pocket. Someone said in an earlier post to send him back to the planet he came from? I didn''t know he came from another planet, I thought he was the president from h*ll.

[deacon20081]

In 2004 the cost of Gas was $2.28 a gallon. I was looking at some reciepts from that year recently.
Imagine the difference 4 years makes of Bush-Co and Republican garbage and then imagine 4 more years of McBush Jr. and more Republican garbage.

Good Job George---said the anti-christ

[cmp271]

We need to set up days where no one buys gas. We all should fill our tanks on Thursday, and not at all over the memorial weekend, and as little as possible the next week!! Let''s just stay home this year, and at 4th of July too.

This is a Bush thing really, his family are in this neck deep. Send him back to the planet he came from!!

[cyberus-2009]

It may be a good thing ... a lot of local economies could use the money that usually goes to big tourist type places.
Of course if everyone stays home to BBQ but goes to Wal-Borg to buy all their stuff for the weekend the result is the same .. the money goes elsewhere.

[lewiston14]

Yea I dont get that rent a car thing either. They will rent themselse out of business

[valentin73]

Don''t worry AAA, the people who continue to drive, no matter what circumstances (highest gasoline prices ever!!!), will still drive their guzzlers, inside the city...should they have any travel plans, they will board a plane at their leisure. These people have so much money they don''t know what to do with it. Travel plans and gasoline prices does NOT affect them. So much for your report.

[walt1944-2009]

The Great Emperor Bush II is dismayed that citizens of the USSA will not be traveling very far from home on the Memorial Day weekend, if at all!

The Great Emperor had thought that the stimulus checks which he had ordered the IRS to hand out early, would inspire people to "tank up" and head for parts unknown, thus improving the already vastly improved profits of BIG OIL! Unfortunately, it has been learned that the IRS has been "dragging its feet" getting those checks to people and that those who have received them have been "short-changed"!

So much for the economic "shot in the arm"!

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!!!
sig heil, DEFINITELY MORE OF THE SAME, McCain!!!!!

[shanev137]

Poor people who are cutting back and can''t afford to travel won''t effect the economy very much.

As long as the rich think they are rich and continue traveling, our government will keep on pandering to big oil.

[element51]

According to the article it doesn''t look like much of a change from last year. So what''s the big fuss? People are going to do just as they have always done, it''s just going to cost more. Nothing will change until it comes to the point where people just cannot come up with the extra money to continue. Unfortunately, that time is rapidly approaching. We started down this path in 1980 and we have passed the tipping point. To expect things to return to the way they were is to believe in the Tooth Fairy. One other thing....the car rental thing is so obvious that I can''t believe they are actually doing it. The price of gas has NOTHING to do with renting a car since you pay for the gas you use yourself. What a sham!!!!

[xalen54]

I really don''''t understand why the cost of a rental car will jump 45% from last year.

Posted by DillyPickles at 03:35 PM : May 15, 2008
-----------------------------------------------

It is because this is the wonderful world of economics! YAY!

[dillypickles]

I really don''t understand why the cost of a rental car will jump 45% from last year. I have (many times) rented a car & have always paid for the gas myself. What does gas prices have to do with renting a car since the customer (renter) is the one who pays for the gas. This is gauging taken to a whole new level. Everyone is getting in on fleecing the consumer. One of these days there will not be anything left to fleece & the consumer may just say that enough is enough. Hopefully!!