HOLLYWOOD (CBSLA.com) — More people are expected to get away this holiday season as compared to last year.

AAA is projecting that the number of Americans traveling 50 miles or more from their homes between this weekend and New Year’s will be up.

Kara Finnstrom, reporting for CBS2 and KCAL9, says auto travel is forecast to be up 1.3 percent as compared to last year with 90 percent of travel anticipated to be by car.

Air travel is also expected to be up 4.5 percent, according to AAA.

For those traveling over the Grapevine or along the Cajon Pass, weather closures are not currently expected but snow levels are high.

Meantime, gas prices have dropped on average about 50 cents since September, according to Finnstrom.

KNX 1070′s Margaret Carrero reports that the drop at the pump is welcome news for the 6.5 million people expected to drive to their holiday destinations.

Although the price per gallon of fuel has gone down over the course of the past two months, Carrero reports that it’s also about 5 cents higher as compared to last year.