Is your vehicle road trip ready?
Memorial Day weekend is next weekend and AAA expects a record 45 million Americans to travel, most by car! FOX 26 Consumer Reporter Heather Sullivan has some smart sense on how to prepare your car for the drive.
HOUSTON – A record 45 million people in the U.S. will travel for Memorial Day weekend, according to AAA Texas. Of those travelers, 3.7 million will be Texans.
We asked AAA Texas’s Doug Shupe for insights on travel costs this year and ways to save money.
Memorial Day travel
By the numbers:
He says the good news for drivers is that gas prices for a gallon of regular unleaded will be 40 to 50 cents cheaper than last year.
He says travelers will also find prices are 8% lower on car rentals, 4% lower on international airfare, and 3% lower on international cruises.
But some costs are going up. AAA found travelers will spend about 2% more on domestic airfare, 2% more on domestic cruises, 8% more on domestic hotels, and 18% more on international hotels. Both domestic and international tours will cost a little more this year as well.
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Where are people going this Memorial Day weekend? AAA booking data shows that nationally, the top five destinations are Orlando, Seattle, New York, Las Vegas, and Miami. Internationally, hot spots are Rome, Vancouver, Paris, London and Athens.
In Texas, the top spots are the usual: Galveston, South Padre Island, Austin, San Antonio and the Texas Hill Country.
Saving on Memorial Day travel
AAA says a record 45 million will travel for Memorial Day weekend, but before you hit the roads FOX 26 Consumer reporter Heather Sullivan has some tips and info to help you save!
What you can do:
But Shupe says there are lots of ways to save money on your trip.
Even though gas prices are lower, drivers can get better fuel efficiency by not speeding. AAA found fuel economy peaks at 50 miles per hour for most vehicles, then goes down as speeds go up. Shupe told us reducing your high speed by 5 to 10 miles per hour can increase your fuel economy by up to 14%.
Also, he says keep in mind that gas stations right off the interstate are usually the most expensive. You can download the AAA mobile app to find the cheapest gas wherever your travels take you.
He says when it comes to booking flights, be flexible. Midweek flights are usually cheaper than flights on weekends.
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Reserve hotel and car rentals early, as prices typically go up the closer you are to departure.
In major cities, Shupe says look for hotels within walking distance to public transit to save money on transportation. AAA members can find discounts with their hotel partners.
If you can forgo a larger rental car for a more economical one, that can help you save on cost and fuel efficiency, as well as reserving one early.
A travel advisor can also help you find deals as you’re making your getaway plans.
The Source: Information in this article is from AAA Texas.
