Perfect Storm: Cheap Gas, High Temps Brings Heaviest Christmas Travel On Record

CHATHAM, N.J. – It will be a Merry Christmas, indeed, especially for anyone deciding to travel. And according to AAA, that’s about one out of every three Americans.

The national travel company announced this week it projects more than 100 million travelers nationwide this holiday season, meaning one in every three Americans will be hitting the road for holiday-related travel in the coming weeks. AAA defines the holiday travel period as Wednesday, Dec. 23, through Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016.

Nationally, the price of a gallon of gas during the holiday season in 2015 is 53-cents less than the same time period in 2014, AAA said. As of Monday, Dec. 21, the national average dipped to $1.99 a gallon and rose just a hair Tuesday to $2.005.

And in New Jersey, it’s a perfect storm of reasons to travel.

An unseasonably warm start to the winter season, which includes a high of 70-degrees or more in some areas of the state on Christmas Eve, with temperatures fluctuating between 42 and 62 degrees the following 10 days.

So no winter weather to shut or slow the roads. Now sprinkle in the New Jersey average price for a gall of gas of $1.876 as of Tuesday morning, and travel becomes desirable during the holiday season.

To see gas prices in your area, enter your ZIP code in the map below.