Live weather feed for San Antonio from the National Weather Service.

There’s plenty for would-be travelers to worry about.

A hole in the Gulf floor spews thousands of barrels a day of sticky oil. A European debt crisis shook up financial markets. Storms will soak much of Texas through the Fourth of July weekend. 

But as I sit on my porch sipping coffee, watching my lawn drink in what Hurricane Alex’s remnants have left to dump, 34.9 million Americans will be on vacation trips, a whopping 17 percent more than last year, AAA says. Nine out of 10 will go by car.

And why not? Most Gulf beaches remain clean and open. A U.S. economic recovery seems to be holding steady. Most Texas roads, though wet, are open.

Also, gas prices are under $3 a gallon.

So though travelers will spend a little less — on average, $50 less — than last year, the holiday looks much brighter than a year ago. 

Sources and links:

• Weather
• Statewide road conditions, or call (800) 452-9292
• Gas prices
• AAA report

The travel outlook for Memorial Day weekend looks about as wobbly as recent stock market swings.

More Americans will be making trips this year, a “sizeable increase” of 5.5 percent from last year and the first gain in five years, according to AAA. But average spending is expected to drop to $809, a “sizeable reduction” from last year’s $1,052.
 
The Great Recession has been taking a breather, with consumer sentiment, household worth and GDP up from a year ago, the same report says. But jobs have lagged, leaving unemployment 3 percent higher.

The coaster ride doesn’t end there. Travelers face varying price swings this holiday.  

Airfare tickets will stay about the same as last year but car rental rates will drop 15 percent and hotel rates will dip slightly, AAA reports.

Gasoline, meanwhile, is selling for 35 to 40 cents a gallon higher than a year ago. In Texas, regular unleaded now averages $2.68, up 37 cents.

Of the 32.1 million people making trips this holiday, 87 percent will go by car.

LINKS:

• 2010 Travel Forecast
• Gas prices
• Weather

Though millions of people still look for work, Americans are starting to spend and travel more as a hobbled economy appears to limp toward a long recovery.

Over the Christmas and New Year’s break, 87.7 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home, up 3.8 percent from last year’s bleak season and the largest jump in six years, according to AAA.

That means one in four U.S. residents will soon be on the roads, riding rails or in the air to see friends and family this season. Travelers budgeted an average of $1,009 per household for the holidays, with two-thirds expecting to spend at least as much as they did at this time last year, an AAA survey indicates.

AAA’s findings mirror last quarter’s 2.2 percent economic growth, though down from initial estimates, and last month’s slight drop in the unemployment rate from a 26-year high of 10.2 percent set in October, Bloomberg.com reported.

AAA said:

“Americans are determined to travel this holiday. High unemployment and reduced discretionary income will continue to keep some would-be travelers at home, but this year many consumers appear to be focused on controlling costs rather than scrapping trips.

And what’s good for the nation will be bigger in Texas.

Some 6.3 million Texans will make holiday trips, up 8 percent from a year ago. They’ll travel an average of 934 miles and spend $1,151 per household, 140 miles and $142 more than U.S. travelers.

Holiday travelers face higher gas prices — today averaging 92 cents higher than a year ago – and unruly weather in some spots. A winter storm is dumping on the West and rain could be falling in many parts of Texas on Wedsnday.

If you make a trip, be sure to check our “Before you hit the road” links on the right sidebar, which give you the latest weather forecasts, road conditions, lowest gas prices and airport arrivals and departures.

That all said, have a great holiday season. 

Sources:

• AAA statement
• Complete report
• Bloomberg story 
• Gas prices
• Texas weather
• U.S. weather

AAA Thanksgiving 2009 Travel Forecast

Americans shaken by last year’s economic crash may be regaining enough confidence to hit the roads in higher numbers this Thanksgiving, according to AAA.

When a wobbly economy finally nose-dived last fall, Thanksgiving trips also plunged, by 25 percent from the year before, the travel association reports.

This year, with unemployment higher than it’s been since 1983 despite economic growth last quarter, 38.4 million Americans — one in eight — will travel at least 50 miles from home, up a slight 1.4 percent.

But the numbers, like the economy, could be rickety.

First, AAA’s survey was taken in October, when gas prices were still 54 cents a gallon cheaper than a year ago. Prices have been stable since last month, but at this time last year they were dropping like a rock.

Regular unleaded today averages $2.64, a jump of 73 cents from last year, AAA says.

Second, with fewer people actually flying this Thanksgiving, some 86 percent are expected to drive. Two-thirds responding to AAA’s survey last month indicated they will spend more this Thanksgiving, but now some of that surplus cash could be slurped into fuel tanks and out of the hands of U.S. retailers.

Meanwhile, things look sunnier in our parts.

Travel in the Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Arkansas region should be up 7 percent this Thanksgiving after caving 40 percent a year ago. About 3.3 million Texans will make trips, with 3 million driving.

If you plan to head out, check the “Before you hit the road” links on our right sidebar, which give you the latest weather forecasts, road conditions, lowest gas prices and airport arrivals and departures.

As of this afternoon, the National Weather Service forecasts great driving weather in Texas, at least for today and tomorrow, with mostly clear and dry days but increasing chances of rain at the end of the weekend.

Sources:

• AAA statement
• Complete report
• Gas prices
• NWS statewide weather