The Dayton International Airport will likely see more traffic this holiday season than during the same time last year, according to officials at AAA.

AAA’s forecast for the Thanksgiving holiday is that more than 43 million people will travel at least 50 miles from their homes during the holiday season. A predicted 3.1 million people are expected to travel by plane, down from 3.2 million in 2011. 90 percent of all travelers will be expected to travel by car, and a remaining 1.3 million travelers will be using other modes of travel such as bus, railway, or cruise ship.

However, Dayton International Airport saw a 2.5 percent increase in ticket sales from last year. Dayton had 1.09 million people board airplanes this year, compared to 1.06 million last year.

The amount of airline travel is also up 4.8 percent for the month of October 2012, with 115,484 passengers compared to 110,147 last year.

Average domestic air fares are up 4.1 percent for the second quarter of 2012 to $385. This is up from an average $370 fare in the second quarter of 2011.

Dayton is proving to be the most cost-effective departure destination this year, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau. Dayton’s average fare is up only 2.1 percent over last year, from $371 to $379.

Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport saw a 12.4 percent average fare gain from last year, with the average fare being $535.

So if you’re planning to travel by airline this holiday season, the Dayton Airport is most likely your most economical departure point.

Source: Dayton Daily News--Dayton airport likely to be busier this holiday travel season