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AAA Texas is forecasting close to 8 million Texans will make a trip between now and New Year's.  That's almost a two-and-a-half percent increase over last year.

And AAA's Sarah Schimmer says the numbers include all kinds of travel.

"Auto travel is up 2 percent, air travel up 6.4 percent, and other modes of transportation which includes trains, buses, and cruise ships is up 9.8 percent."

And these aren't short trips. Schimmer says the year-end holidays offer families a wider window for travel, and the average round-trip is about 750 miles. 

"Well, Texans typically tend to travel longer distances compared to any other region in the country. A lot of that has to do with the size of our state."

So how much does it cost to make these trips? 

Results of the AAA survey indicate the average family will spend about $744 dollars.  A lot of that money will be spent on shopping.  

Schimmer says families are also taking advantage of lower gas prices.

"We're definitely seeing a recovery when it comes to economic conditions in the United States and especially Texas. With a lot of the business reports that have been out, Texas is very strong, especially Houston, one of the top-earning cities in the state of Texas."

As for nationwide figures, AAA expects over 93 million Americans will make a holiday trip. That's an increase of 1.6 percent over last year.