Summer travel crowds expected to grow
A total of 1 million Memorial Day weekend travelers are expected in Georgia, marking the start of a busy summer travel season.
AAA forecasts there will be 926,610 auto travelers and 76,564 air travelers in Georgia. Another 34,040 are expected to travel by other modes, including by train or bus.
Nationally, AAA expects a 1.5 percent increase in travel for the holiday compared with last year, which would make for the busiest Memorial Day holiday travel period since the recession.
Gas prices are expected to be similar or slightly less than last year’s Memorial Day weekend, AAA said.
“Consumer spending, disposable income, consumer confidence and the employment outlook are trending up,” driving more travel this year, according to AAA in a written statement.
Meanwhile, industry group Airlines for America said it expects summer air travel to hit the highest level in six years. About 210 million passengers are expected to fly U.S. airlines this summer, which averages out to about 2.3 million airline passengers per day.
AAA’s national Memorial Day forecast showed air fares have increased an average of 6 percent from last Memorial Day for the top 40 U.S. routes. It said the average air fare is $227 roundtrip, up from $215 last year.
Also, mid-range hotel rates are up 2 percent to an average of $169 per night, while car rental prices are up 1 percent to an average of $44 for weekend daily rates, AAA said.
About the Author
As business team lead, Kelly Yamanouchi edits and writes business stories. She graduated from Harvard and has a master's degree from Northwestern.
