September 2, 2022
By News Director Jared Atha
Labor Day holiday travel is expected to return to levels seen before COVID-19 hit the nation, despite high gasoline prices and that includes in Oklahoma according to AAA Oklahoma.
According to data, Labor Day airfares are up 20% from last year and 30% from the same period in 2020. Mid-range hotel rates are up 53% from the pandemic-impacted holiday weekend in 2020. Likewise, car rentals are costing an average of 32% more than in 2020.
AAA says road trips will rule Labor Day weekend. Despite paying the highest gas prices ever for the unofficial end of summer, prices in Oklahoma have dropped $1.20-per-gallon since peaking at $4.66 on June 15. The national gas price average has dropped more than $1/gallon since peaking at $5.01/gallon on June 14. However, gas prices in the state remain about 63-cents-per-gallon higher than the same time last year.
As of Thursday, the national average of gas tallied at $3.85 per gallon, with Oklahoma’s average coming in at $3.46.
Record high summer gas prices haven’t deterred road trippers, and AAA does not expect Labor Day weekend to be any different. However, Oklahoma motorists told AAA earlier this summer that they have adjusted driving behavior and vacation spending to accommodate for higher gas prices.
AAA says 63% of Oklahoma drivers say they have adjusted their daily driving behaviors because of gas prices, with many people consolidating errands/trips and cutting back on driving as much as possible. 57% of Oklahoma drivers making summer travel plans said gas prices have factored in to their planning. Of those planning to travel this summer, 28% said they are taking fewer trips because of gas prices. 14% said they are taking shorter trips because of gas prices, and 18% said they are adjusting their travel budget for dining or lodging because of gas prices.
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