AAA: Nearly 3.6M Michigan residents to travel for holidays

DEARBORN, Mich. – AAA projects nearly 3.6 million Michigan residents will travel more than 50 miles (80 kilometres) from home this holiday season.

The estimate released Thursday by the auto club says that’s up by 4 per cent from the holiday period a year ago. Most will drive, with the rest going by air, rail, bus or other means.

AAA Michigan notes that motorists will see lower gas prices . Wednesday’s state average of $2.31 per gallon is 30 cents less than what drivers paid roughly a year ago.

The holiday travel period runs from Dec. 22 to Jan. 1. That’s a day longer than last year, since Christmas and New Year’s Day fall on Tuesdays this year.

AAA’s projections are based on economic forecasting by research firm IHS Markit.