AAA Chicago Says Memorial Day Travel to be Highest Ever Despite High Gas Prices

AURORA, Ill., May 24, 2005 -- More people will hit the highways and airways this Memorial Day weekend despite the fact that gas prices rate among the highest ever recorded for this holiday, according to AAA. Roughly, 37.2 million Americans say they will travel 50 miles or more from home this weekend. That's 2.2 percent higher compared to last year. Moreover, about 84 percent of travelers, or 31.1 million people, will go by car despite the national average of $2.12 per gallon for regular unleaded gasoline, which is down in recent months but still some six cents higher than a year ago.

"Memorial day is a very popular time to travel because it represents the unofficial start of summer," says Kris Lathan, AAA Chicago spokesperson. "It's a known fact that Americans drive more during summer. This increases demand for gasoline so historically gas prices inch slightly higher during this time of year. However, gas prices are among the highest ever during a Memorial Day weekend. But the fact of the matter is that Americans want to travel and the high cost of gasoline is no deterrent."

Although prices may fluctuate by the weekend, currently in Illinois, the price of regular unleaded is $2.11 per gallon, the price as Memorial Day weekend 2004. In Indiana, a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline costs $2.01 per gallon compared to $2.05 per gallon during last year's holiday weekend.

The Great Lakes region, which encompasses Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin, will be the starting point for roughly 4.6 million auto travelers. Surprisingly, less than 1 percent of the region's 46 million people will fly, which is a decrease of 1.9 percent compared to Memorial Day 2004. As a whole, air travel is up nationally as 4.2 million Americans will travel by plane, representing a 3.2 percent increase over last year. About 5 percent, or 1.9 million, of all holiday vacationers will travel by train, bus or other mode of transportation.

Big cities top the list of preferred destinations with 25 percent of national travelers. Small towns and rural areas rank as the second-most popular destination with some 23 percent of travelers. Memorial Day travel research is based on a national telephone survey of 1,300 adults by the Travel Industry Association of American, which conducts special research for AAA.

For more than 100 years, AAA has represented the interests of the nation's motorists and served as an advocate for various traffic safety and travel related issues. AAA Chicago has served in that role in Illinois and Northern Indiana since its founding in 1906.

AAA Chicago offers automotive, travel, insurance and financial services. It is part of The Auto Club Group (ACG), the largest affiliation of AAA clubs in the Midwest, with 4.1 million members in eight states. ACG clubs belong to the national AAA federation, a not-for-profit organization, with more than 48 million members in the United States and Canada.