If you’re planning a big vacation trip this summer, move over. You’re going to have lots of company.
Whether by air or car, traveler numbers are expected to rise over last year’s figures thanks to a decent economy and stable gasoline prices, The Associated Press reports.
U.S. airlines expect to carry 234 million passengers from June 1 through Aug. 31, up from the summer record of 225 million a year ago, according to the trade group Airlines for America.
While fares are edging up overall, they’re still relatively affordable by historical standards. And travelers can find deals, especially on routes flown by discount airlines such as Spirit.
Some of the lowest fares on popular routes are coming from United Airlines, which is trying to regain passengers lost to rivals in recent years and to overcome the image, replayed over and over on the news, of a passenger being brutally dragged off a United Express plane.
“I call them the mea culpa fares,” says George Hobica, founder of airfarewatchdog.com.
For example, he says, United recently offered $79 roundtrip tickets for Chicago to Los Angeles and $93 for Fort Lauderdale to Las Vegas.
On the nation’s highways, auto club AAA estimated 39 million Americans would drive at least 50 miles away from home over this past Memorial Day weekend, a 2.7% increase over the holiday weekend last year.
