Year end travel forecast

FRESNO, California -- AAA says more Americans are planning to travel this year than ever before. More than 103 million people, that's 1.5 million more traveling, compared with last year. This comes despite one fewer travel day this holiday season because Christmas and New Year are both on a weekend.

The year-end holiday travel period is defined as Friday, December 23 to Monday, January 2, 2017.

People are gearing up to see family for the holidays.

Low gas prices and increased consumer optimism will prompt more Americans than ever to set out on road trips, take to the skies, or board trains, buses and cruise ships to celebrate the holidays. AAA estimates that New Year's gas prices are the second-cheapest in nearly a decade.

Hundreds of flights are canceled Monday morning in many of America's airports, leaving frustrated travelers with no choice but to sleep in the terminals.