MICHIGAN, USA — Traveling home for the holidays? You can expect to see more Michiganders on your way, according to AAA.
More than 3.8 million Michiganders are expected to travel 50 or more miles home for the holiday. This is around 98,000 more travelers hitting the road this year compared to last year.
And if you're looking to avoid backups and congestion, AAA said it’s best to leave early. Peak travel times are expected to occur during the afternoon hours of Dec. 19 until Dec. 23.
"Finalize your travel plans now and give yourself extra time to get to your destination," said Debbie Haas, Vice President of Travel for AAA. "We also suggest travel insurance, which provides assistance in the event winter weather or something unexpected interferes with your plans.”
Here are the peak travel times to expect this year:
Filling up? It's best to shop around
Patrick De Haan, a petroleum analyst with GasBuddy, recommends filling up your gas tank now, as prices across West Michigan have decreased.
The average price in Michigan is around $3.03. However, prices vary across the region—meaning you should shop around and keep an eye out for a good deal.
“Some stations in West Michigan today are all the way down to the $2.80s,” he said. “You'll find some of those spread through Holland, Comstock Park and some stations in the $2.90s. The good news is prices should continue to trend a little bit lower this week after the big jump last week.”
De Haan recommends checking GasBuddy before filling up out-of-state.