On the verge of summer vacation, gas prices are up and so is airfare. Now travel experts fear the number of summer vacationers could hit a low. The Conference Board Research Group says the number of people planning a vacation in the next six months will hit it's lowest point in thirty years. It all comes back to gas prices

"I wish I owned stock in the oil company," says traveler Linda Block.

A lot of uncertainty surrounds what's to come in the next six months. With one report predicting travel lows, AAA predicts just the opposite.

"We're not really expecting a decline at all, in fact, we will probably see a little bit of an increase over last year's numbers," says Clay Ingram of AAA.

What travelers are doing is looking at ways to cut, in order to get that good quality time away for some stress management.

"I am traveling anyway, but we have made some adjustments for economics," says Block.

"It used to be a luxury item - over the year it has transgressed, as now it is really more of a necessity item for people," says Ingram.

Try doing the math. Take for instance New Orleans. A round trip ticket out of Birmingham will cost you less than ninety dollars, while the cost of gas to drive is about 100 dollars.

Orlando is another hot spot for Birmingham families. One plane ticket, round trip, is144 dollars. The cost of gas is approximately 155 dollars. It's still cheaper to fly, but maybe not for long. Just this week, Delta joined several other airlines in a price hike. Delta now charges an extra 10 to 40 dollar gas surcharge per round trip.

If you think Alabama gas prices are high, they're still below the national average per gallon by seven cents.

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