HOUSTON — Even if you're staying in Houston this holiday season, the massive amount of travelers on the roads will affect you. AAA Texas dropped their predictions for how many people they expect to hit the roads in Texas.
According to AAA Texas, nearly 9 million Texans will be driving out of town. AAA Texas projects this to be one of the busiest holiday seasons in 20 years.
With three weeks left in 2022, AAA Texas said a lot of people plan to pack their bags for holiday vacations. Spokesperson Daniel Armbruster said yearend travel is surging.
“Falling gas prices are certainly a welcome holiday gift for travelers after the record highs we saw this summer,” Armbruster said. “Fuel prices have been quickly declining in recent weeks, and by Christmas, many Texans will likely be paying less for gas than they were last holiday season.”
Despite concerns about inflation, he said more people will travel by car and by plane this year.
In Texas, the number of people boarding flights is up 13 percent compared to last year. In fact, AAA Texas predicts air travel to reach 98 percent of pre-pandemic travel volume over the holidays.
“So consumer sentiment may be down from a year ago just due to economic uncertainty, but certainly consumer spending remains strong with travel at the top of the list,” he said.
If you’re traveling, now you know to plan ahead for traffic.
AAA said the next thing they’re watching is what’s called “wave season.” That’s the period from January to March when cruise lines offer some of their biggest discounts on vacations.