LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) — When locals have a place to be they intend to get there even with an increase in holiday travel and gas prices.

AAA predicted that more 39M people traveled 50 miles or more from home this Memorial Day weekend.  

One veteran driving from Houston to New Orleans says the gas prices are higher when you pay using a credit card.

“They put up $4.29 but its $4.39 a gallon because that’s the cash price,” Mike Harper of Houston said.

At the Lafayette Regional Airport, airline passenger Lidell Perez waits for her departing flight to Houston.

Perez says she hopes her flight out will be as smooth as her flight coming into Acadiana.

“I have on my walking shoes. It’s been easy for us. We have flown Lafayette to Houston and not a lot of people seem to do that, because the plane was nice and comfortable. It was great this holiday.”

While at the airport we located two men who are exchange students that are heading home.

 “They changed everything. Now I must fly to Atlanta then to Boston and then to New York,” a Germany exchange student stated.

“Its supposed to be from here to Houston, then Houston to Newark and after that Frankfurt to Milan.  My brother is going to have to pick me up in Milan to go to Venice,” Martino Gjomemo of Venice added.

Paula Twidale, Senior Vice President at AAA Travel said, “Memorial Day is always a good predictor of what’s to come for summer travel.”