Holiday travel up, could break a record

”We’ve seen the strong economy and growing consumer confidence fuel holiday travel all year long,” she said.

» RELATED: 7 wild things that happened on flights and in airports this year

This year marks the ninth consecutive year of rising year-end holiday travel. Since 2005, total year-end holiday travel volume has grown by 21.6 million, an increase of more than 25 percent. The majority of travelers - 97.4 million - will hit the road, a 3 percent year-over-year increase.

“With record-level travelers hitting the road this holiday, drivers must be prepared for delays in major metros,” says Graham Cookson, chief economist and head of research at INRIX. “Our advice to drivers is to avoid peak times altogether or consider alternative routes.”

This December’s national average gasoline price is $2.47 per gallon (Dec. 1 to Dec. 13), which is 28 cents more than last December. AAA does expect the average to drop at least another five cents by year-end, saving motorists a few pennies at the pump.

The Ohio Department of Transportation encouraged travelers to prepare for crowded highways during Thanksgiving and Christmas weekends.

“We work hard to make our roads safe, but we need everyone riding in a vehicle to do their part too. Wearing a seat belt is one of the easiest ways to protect yourself if you are involved in a crash,” said ODOT Director Jerry Wray.

» RELATED: Small airports are dying out. What will 2018 hold for Dayton’s hub?

Approximately 6.4 million will travel by air, a 4 percent increase and the fourth year of consecutive air travel volume increases. The increase comes as the Atlanta airport — one of the busiest airports in the world — recovers from a power outage that grounded all flights on Sunday.

Canceled flights at the Dayton International Airport included Delta Air Lines Flight 2337, supposed to leave at 6:33 p.m. and Delta Flight 1161, scheduled to depart at 2:18 p.m. for Atlanta, as well as Delta Flight 2337 from Atlanta to Dayton, scheduled to arrive at 5:53 p.m. according to the airport's Flight Tracker.

Delta canceled approximately 300 flights Monday due to Sunday’s power outage at the Atlanta airport, the company said in a statement. The cancellations impacted travelers in Dayton, Columbus and Cincinnati, but the airport is expected to resume normal operations by Christmas.

Jay Ratliff, local aviation expert, said during the holidays airports are filled with travelers who only fly once or twice a year. That can cause delays through the security and boarding processes. He also advised that travelers make sure they have a seat assignment confirmation before arriving to the airport to ensure they won’t be put on standby. Airlines typically overbook flights.

FIVE FAST BUSINESS READS

• 7 new, cheap flight options added at regional airports in 2017

• Is the 'man flu' real? Scientists claim men experience worse flu symptoms

• Movie theaters launch subscription services to compete with Netflix

• Duke Energy says data breach could impact customers

• New convenience store to sell wine, beer at The Greene

CONTINUED COVERAGE 

The Dayton Daily News is committed to bringing you information that will make travel plans easier for you — work made possible by your subscription. Count on us for in-depth coverage on transportation and traffic in the Miami Valley.