LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — More Americans than ever are hitting the roads and skies to celebrate the 2019 holiday season.
According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), 115.6 million Americans are expected to travel between Dec. 21 and Jan. 1. That's an increase of more than 4 million people from 2018 and the most since AAA started tracking travel data in 2000.
Of the 115.6 million people traveling for the holidays, more than 6 million people in AAA's East South Central region, which includes Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi, will commute by car. The large amount of car travel could be attributed to low gas prices. AAA said it expects gas prices to drop for most motorists before the 2020, but the prices will likely be slightly more expensive than the national gas price average of $2.37 for December 2018.
Air travel in the region is expected to rise by 4.6% to 189,000 people.
"With unemployment at historically low levels, millions of Americans will put a bow on 2019 with a trip to see family and friends," said Jim Lehman, president of AAA East Central, in a news release.
The worst day for traffic is expected to be Christmas Eve — Tuesday, Dec. 24. Some major U.S. cities seeing drive times double during the hustle and bustle of the day before Christmas.
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