Aug. 27--If you're planning to make this the first Labor Day weekend in a few years that you load up the car and hit the road, you're not alone, according to AAA.
Low gas prices and higher wages mean more Americans will travel during the holiday than in any year since 2008, AAA predicts. Airports will be busier too, with the number of Illinois air travelers expected to increase 3.1 percent, compared with last year's holiday, it says.
Higher levels of job security are helping families feel better about spending some cash at the end of the summer, says AAA, which expects 35.5 million Americans to take trips of 50 miles or more from home over the weekend.
In Illinois, 1.9 million people are expected to travel, a 0.8 percent increase from 2014. More than 1.7 million will be driving, while just over 72,000 will be flying to their destination, according to AAA.
The number of cars on the road has been rising in the last year, fueled by gas prices that have fallen significantly. The average price for regular unleaded gas in Illinois on Thursday was $2.98 a gallon, down from $3.52 in 2014.
Although gas prices in the Chicago area spiked sharply after a crude distillation unit at the BP refinery in Whiting, Ind., shut down two weeks ago, the unit was back online Tuesday, and gas prices in and around the city have been on a downward trend for more than a week. A gallon of regular unleaded gas cost $3.17 in the Chicago area Thursday, compared with $3.43 a week ago.
"A strong labor market, coupled with greater job security and rising home prices, have all helped to increase disposable income," Beth Mosher of AAA Chicago said in a news release. "Though some consumers remain cautious, these positive indicators are driving a slight increase and allowing millions of Americans to travel on one last summer getaway."
kjanssen@tribpub.com
