Peak holiday travel expected despite high gas prices

The average gas price in the U.S. on Thursday was $4.60 per gallon, according to AAA figures. But in California, it topped $6. Rising prices coincide with a COVID-19 surge that has led to case counts that are as high as they've been since mid-February, and those figures are likely a major undercount because of unreported positive home test results and asymptomatic infections.

AAA estimates that 39.2 million people in the U.S. will travel during the holiday weekend. The estimates are still below pre-pandemic 2019 levels, a peak year for travel. About 88% of those 39.2 million travelers — a record number — are expected to go by car over the long weekend even as gas prices remain high, according to the AAA.