AAA projects that Christmas/New Year`s holiday travel will be down 6% from last year, with 53.7 million people traveling 50 miles or more from home.

At least 11.5 million are expected to travel by plane, train or bus, down 20%, and 42.2 million will travel by motor vehicle, down only 1%.

“The current recession and the nation`s unemployment situation are the major contributors,” said Sandra Hughes, AAA Travel vice president.

Of those who will be traveling during the holidays, AAA said 79% will go by car, up from 75% last year.

About two-thirds of holiday travelers plan to stay with a friends or relatives, and 23% will stay in hotels or motels.

The Christmas/New Year`s projections are based on holiday travel telephone survey of 1,300 adults conducted for AAA by the Travel Industry Association of America.

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