More holiday travelers in Delaware this year

More than 250,000 Delawareans will travel 50 miles or more from home during the year-end holidays, a 1.3 percent increase over last year, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic estimates.

“Despite high gas prices and slow economic recovery, more than 28 percent of Delawareans plan to travel during the upcoming 11-day holiday travel season,” said AAA Mid-Atlantic’s Jim Lardear.

Notwithstanding 2012 being the most expensive year on record for gas prices, statistics show 90 percent of Delawareans will travel by car, 6 percent by plane.

The average price of gas, today, is $3.36, up 4 cents from the weekend and 5 cents in the last week. Delaware prices are 11 cents higher than the national gas average, which stands at $3.25.

Nationwide, AAA projects 93.3 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more, a 1.6 percent spike over last year.

Mass Transit

DART will operate regularly on Christmas Eve; SEPTA Wilmington/Newark line will also operate regular service. Christmas Day, DART statewide services will not run. SEPTA will operate on modified Christmas schedule. 

On New Year’s Eve, DART and SEPTA will offer regular service, with SEPTA offering  an additional train leaving Philadelphia’s Market East station after the New Year’s Eve celebrations at 1:35 a.m. DART will not run on New Year’s Day, while SEPTA will operate on a Sunday schedule.