LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Travelers hitting the road or taking to the skies ahead of Christmas are catching a break this holiday season, with gas and airfare prices lower than a year ago.
Gas prices are the lowest they've been in about four years, giving drivers extra incentive to travel as the holiday approaches. Along Interstate 65, traffic flowed steadily Tuesday as travelers made last-minute trips before Christmas.
Robin Hancock, who drives about 6,000 miles per month for work, said he noticed prices dropping even more as he headed south on a recent trip to Florida.
"The further I got south, the cheaper it seemed to be," Hancock said.
Nationally, the average price for a gallon of gas is $2.85, roughly 20 cents cheaper than this time last year. Hancock, who frequently travels across the country, said the savings add up.
"This is very cheap this year," he said. "... It helps."
Prices across the Kentuckiana region were even lower. In Jeffersonville, Indiana, gas was averaging about $2.59 a gallon Tuesday, while a station on Fern Valley Road in Louisville listed prices around $2.69.
The lowest prices appeared at a Sam's Club on Preston Highway, where members paid as little as $2.06 a gallon, drawing a steady line of cars through the parking lot.
Some drivers welcomed the relief after years of higher prices.
"I think it has been absolutely awesome," said Karlis Thomas, a Louisville-area driver. "Gas prices before, they were super high — $3 to $4 at one time."
Others said fuel costs don't affect their travel plans much. Jennifer Wieneke said she has a short commute and doesn't notice the difference.
"I drive eight minutes back and forth to work," she said.
AAA estimates nearly 123 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles during the holiday period. Lower prices aren't just limited to the roads — airfare has also dipped for some travelers.
"I am flying because the prices on the flights were a little bit less expensive this year," Wieneke said.
Experts say lower crude oil prices — currently around $58 a barrel — are driving the drop, offering welcome savings for millions traveling this holiday season.
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