Denver, December 17 - AAA Colorado forecasts 63.9 million Americans, or 21 percent of the national population, expect to travel during the Christmas period. Although travel is expected to be down 2.1 percent compared to last year, the number of Americans travelling this Christmas represents the third largest volume since 2000. In 2007 there was a record high of 65.3 million holiday travelers and 2006 had 64.7 million travelers.

Travel in the Western region (including Colorado) will be down 1.9 percent with 15.5 million Western residents travelling more than 50 miles away from home. Travel by automobile will be down 1.5 percent from 2007 despite a gas price that is $1.27 less than 2007. The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas in Colorado is $1.60.

Air travel will be down 6.7 percent in the Western region and 8.5 percent nationwide. Travelers should expect different trends in airfares depending on the week of travel. Airfares nationwide during Christmas week are down 9 percent compared to 2007. Airfares for the week of New Years are up 3 percent. AAA Colorado advises air passengers to check with their airline or travel counselor about additional fees before booking a trip. Most airlines continue to charge fees for checked baggage and other previously complimentary services like beverages and snacks.

Nationwide, Americans can expect lower hotel rates and higher car rental rates throughout the holiday season. Similar to Thanksgiving, about two-thirds (64.2 percent) of Christmas travelers plan to stay in the home of friends or family during their trip.

With Christmas falling on a Thursday this year, it appears that travelers are looking forward to starting their holiday trip early. Almost a third (32 percent) say they expect to begin their holiday travels on or before Sunday, December 21. After a brief pause on Monday, travel departures pick up with 13 percent travelling on Tuesday the 23rd, and peak on Christmas Eve (17 percent). One in ten holiday travelers are likely to travel on Christmas day, while 14 percent are planning to travel after Christmas through December 31. Almost 10 percent of travelers are not sure when they will begin their holiday trip.

Travel projections for the Christmas holiday are derived from the Travel Industry Association’s (TIA) Holiday Travel Forecast Model. The model was developed based on consumer travel intentions and TIA’s quarterly travel forecast data. The travel intentions data is collected through an online survey of nearly 2,300 adults nationwide, supplemented by an additional 5,000 Americans surveyed from the top 10 states of travel origin in the United States. Historical travel volume and other economic data such as GDP, disposable income, employment and travel costs (including fuel prices) are also incorporated into the model. Analysis of the data and the forecasts are produced exclusively for AAA by TIA.

AAA Colorado has more than 525,000 members in Colorado and is an advocate for safety and security for all travelers. As North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides nearly 51 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services, as well as member-exclusive savings. AAA can be visited on the Internet at www.AAA.com.