It’s hurry up and travel to just about everywhere during holiday break

With gas prices under $3 a gallon, Americans are traveling more for the holidays.

The American Automobile Association projects a record 103 million people will journey at least 50 miles from home from Dec. 23 through Jan. 2.

That’s up 1.5 percent from last year, and would mark the eighth straight year of increasing holiday travel since the Great Recession.

Besides lower gas prices – $2.23 to $2.99 per gallon in the Merced area, according to GasBuddy.com on Wednesday afternoon – other factors include increased consumer spending, thanks to improvements in the labor market and rising wages, and increased consumer optimism, the automobile association said.

Nationally, the most popular destinations are Las Vegas, Orlando, New York City, San Diego and Anaheim.

Most people will travel by car, but some holiday travel will be by train, including the Amtrak San Joaquins (now seven trains per day) from Bakersfield to Oakland and Sacramento, and connecting bus to Los Angeles.

“We do anticipate some packed trains,” said Amtrak spokeswoman Renee Graham. But, unlike Thanksgiving when seats sell out, there should be seats available because travel is spread out over several days, she said.

Nevertheless, “come early, make your reservations. Don’t walk up,” she said.

At Fresno Yosemite International Airport, airlines report that flights are at or near capacity this week, airport spokeswoman Vikkie Calderon said.

Passengers are strongly encouraged to arrive up to three hours before international flights and up to two hours before domestic flights, she said.

“It helps to arrive early to get through airline check-in and the security screening process,” she said.

Getting there early allows the passenger and airline representatives extra time to resolve any issues such as weather delays involving a flight connection through another city, she said.

The trade association Airlines for America said passenger volumes on U.S. airlines will exceed last year’s holiday travel by 3.5 percent. (The American Automobile Club estimate for air travel is a bit less rosy at 2.5 percent.)

Airlines for America expects the busiest travel days to be Thursday and Friday, while the lightest travel days are expected to be Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

Meanwhile, passenger totals nationwide are expected to be 1.8 million on the lightest days to 2.4 million on the busiest. On average, U.S. airlines carry 2.2 million passengers per day throughout the year, the group said.

For the California Highway Patrol, the holiday travel season means being vigilant, said spokesman John Tyler of Hanford.

“It’s always a dangerous time of year because of the amount of people on the road and typically bad weather,” Tyler said. “We see a rise in DUI this time of year.”

Just because a driver is under the legal limit of 0.08 percent blood alcohol level doesn’t mean it is safe or legal to drive, he said. “If you are impaired, you can be arrested,” Tyler said.

Tyler advises anyone drinking to take a cab or make other arrangements such as a designated driver.

The CHP will begin its maximum enforcement period Friday night and end Monday night. Officers will look for speeders, distracted drivers, those not buckled up and drivers who have been drinking.

Last year during the holiday enforcement period, the CHP arrested 700 people for drinking and driving.

Also last year, 35 people died on the roads. Twelve deaths occurred on roads patrolled by the CHP and half of the victims were not wearing seat belts, the CHP said.

“Making wise decisions, such as wearing your seat belt, traveling at a safe speed and designating a sober driver will help improve your safety on the roadways,” CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow said. “These choices could save your life or the life of someone you love.”

This story was originally published December 21, 2016 at 3:33 PM with the headline "It’s hurry up and travel to just about everywhere during holiday break."