AAA and San Francisco Worldwide Airport provide ideas for these hitting the roads, flying | Native Information
Gas prices in November fell, but they’re still the highest since AAA began recording data 20 years ago and are about 51 cents more expensive than a year ago.
That means the 6.3 million Californians planning to travel by car this week will pay the price, only at a slight discount from this summer’s peak of $6.438 a gallon.
AAA tracks fuel prices as a public service, and spokesman Julian Paredes said the increase in travelers was 2% higher than in 2021.
“And that’s a record, that’s more travelers than before the pandemic,” Paredes said.
For travelers looking to fly this holiday season, San Francisco International Airport’s public information officer Doug Yakel said the airport is forecasting 5 million travelers for the past week leading up to New Year’s Day. Yakel said about 85% of this year’s expected travelers are from 2019.
For those driving rather than flying this week, AAA is advising travelers to check their fluids, tire pressures, vehicle repair kit and battery charger, and make sure they have extra snacks and water. Another piece of advice is to leave early as traffic delays can be expected.
“There will be a lot of people out there and pretty much every freeway will be full. It’s definitely smart to take more time to travel than at any other time of the year,” Paredes said.
AAA expects over 400,000 roadside assistance calls nationwide this week, he added.
Peak tourist traffic will be on Wednesday from 8am to 8pm, and for the rest of the week 4pm to 8pm will be the rush hour.
While traffic this week could slow drivers, prices at the pump are better than in recent months, Paredes said, as gasoline prices in California fell about 58 cents in the last month.
Officer Judith Bryant directs traffic at San Francisco International Airport.
“Gas prices in San Mateo County are $5.33 a gallon for regular gasoline,” Paredes said. “That’s about 13 cents above the average for California right now, and California has the highest prices in the country.”
The national average, by comparison, is $3.63 per gallon, he added.
The price of a barrel of crude oil is $81.51 and has fluctuated between $80 and $90 a barrel over the last month.
Who is planning to go to the airport, the parking garage is busy, so for travelers who want to drive there and park their car. Yakel suggests reserving parking passes on FlySFO.com to ensure parking is available.
“We recommend being at the airport two hours before your flight for domestic flights and three hours for international flights,” Yakel said.
Yakel recommends downloading the airline’s app to check baggage online and use TSA Precheck to save time and waiting.
