NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Despite signs of a gradual economic recovery, uncertainty still lingers for Californians who are expected to be cautious in their travel spending this upcoming Memorial Day holiday weekend.  

AAA’s travel survey projects that just over 4.0 million Californians plan on traveling 50 miles or more this Memorial Day holiday weekend. This represents a slight decrease of -2.1 percent from last year.

“Despite the diminished tailwind for travel plans among Californians this Memorial Day weekend, many are still caving into their pent-up desires to leave town as the official summer travel season begins,” said AAA Northern California spokesperson Cynthia Harris. “Many will cut back on expenditures by traveling closer to home, and staying with family and friends.”                                      

AAA projects almost 3.5 million Californians will drive this upcoming holiday weekend, no change from last year.

Air travel will decrease by -12.5 percent compared to 2012 figures, with just over 349,000 Californians intending to fly to their holiday getaways.

Approximately 265,000 state residents are expected to travel by other modes of transportation, such as rail, buses and watercraft. This represents a decrease of -14.3 percent compared with 2012.

The AAA survey revealed that gas prices would not impact Memorial Day travel plans for the majority of travelers (62 percent).

Many travelers (38 percent) will economize in other areas, such as reduced spending on entertainment, staying at lower priced hotels, and staying with family and friends.

Nationally, AAA projects over 34.8 million people will journey 50 miles or more during the Memorial Day weekend, representing a -0.9 percent increase compared to last year.

The AAA Leisure Travel Index shows that hotel rates at AAA Three Diamond lodgings are expected to increase over four percent from a year ago, averaging $166 per night, compared to $160 last year. Weekend car rentals rates will average $43 per day, 19 percent more than last year.

The expenditures of a West Coast family of four will average of $890 over the weekend and the average road trip will cover about 730 miles.        

According to those polled in AAA’s survey, the top three favorite activities for Memorial Day weekend for West Coast families are: visiting family and friends, dining and shopping. Other popular activities include touring, sightseeing, beach activities and hiking in national and state parks.

AAA tips to avoid air travel delays

Avoid unnecessary frustration while flying, by following these defensive measures:

• Avoid delay-prone flights. Before you book, make sure you are on a flight that has a decent arrival history.
• Know your airline. Avoid airlines that are known for labor disruptions or major instances where flights have been canceled.
• Book a nonstop. If you fly direct, you won’t get stuck in a connecting city.
• Fly mornings. Whenever possible, book the first flight of the day. Delays tend to worsen later in the day.
• Leave enough time for connections. Schedule at least one hour for a connection. Give yourself more time if you have to change planes and go through security again.
• Use small airports. Avoid airline hubs whenever possible. Secondary airports are usually less congested and less prone to delays.

AAA’s projections are based on research conducted by IHS Global Insight. The Boston-based economic research and consulting firm teamed with AAA as part of an agreement to jointly analyze travel trends during the major holidays. AAA has been reporting on holiday travel trends for more than two decades.