Travel plans have been upended this entire year due to COVID-19, but when it comes to being “home for the holidays,” GasBuddy’s just-released Holiday Travel Survey found that more than a third (34%) of Americans are planning to make that happen and will be taking to the road for the special day.
Nearly 60% of those surveyed said that COVID-19 has impacted their holiday travel plans. While a majority plans to stay put, 10% said they have switched up their mode of transportation to driving by car instead of by plane or train. When asked if gas prices were affecting holiday travel plans, 14% of survey respondents said that they are taking a road trip because gas prices are low this year, a significant increase compared to previous years.
“It’s been a nightmarish year for many due to the spread of COVID-19 and economic challenges that came with it, but many Americans have deeply rooted traditions for the holiday and are unwilling to let them slip away like the rest of the year. Ironically, due to the challenges 2020 has presented, gas prices have fallen and we project the national average to be $2.19 per gallon on Christmas Day, the second lowest in the last decade,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.
Thirty nine percent of those traveling say they are planning on crossing state lines. Regionally, the Southeast has the most travelers crossing state lines (45%), followed by the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific (41%), the Northeast (40%), and the Midwest and Southwest (34%).
“We’re expecting to see heightened driving activity across some of the most hard-hit areas of the coronavirus,” said De Haan. “It’s more important than ever for travelers to remain safe and vigilant on the roads, particularly at rest stops and gas stations, but also amidst state quarantine requirements since many that are hitting the road may be crossing into other states.”
When asked if the news of the COVID-19 vaccine trial results have changed their outlook on driving or celebrating the holidays, the majority of travelers (78%) have said that news has not changed their outlook on driving or celebrating the holidays, while 13% said they feel more optimistic about travel and 7% say they feel less optimistic about travel.
“With most of the country’s views unchanged about driving or celebrating the holidays, fuel demand is expected to rise in the short-term due to holiday travel before tapering off to likely multi-month lows once the New Year arrives. Our 2021 Fuel Outlook being released in early January will discuss how the vaccine will impact gas prices and fuel demand throughout the new year,” said De Haan.
Findings were taken from GasBuddy’s Holiday Travel Survey issued to 1878 GasBuddy members from December 3 – 7, 2020. Gas prices and projections are based on GasBuddy’s gas pricing data from more than 150,000 gas stations across the United States.