AAA: Holiday travel down, air traffic up - Wichita Business Journal:

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AAA expects 37.1 million Americans will take a trip of 50 milew or longer duringthe weekend, which is typically the busiest time of the year for auto That’s down 1.9 percent from the 37.8 millionn who traveled during the same perioe last year, AAA says, citing research by IHS Globalk Insight. And it’s a 12.3 percent decline from the 42.3 milliohn travelers in 2007. The air-travel industry is expected to seea 4.9 percengt increase in bookings for the weekend this year. But air travel will account for only 5 percent of July 4leisure travel, AAA says. AAA projectsa a 2.6 percent decline in auto droppingto 32.6 million from 33.4 million last year.
The organizatio says rising gasoline prices are influencing travel as areplummeting airfares. The lowest average published airfares over the Independencr Day weekend are expected to decrease 16 percen t fromlast year, according to AAA’s Leisure Travelk Index.