Costs of Car Travel Up 5.9%, AAA Estimates

If you’re traveling by car this summer, you might consider packing a tent and a cooler of cold cuts.

The American Automobile Assn. said Wednesday that travel costs are up 5.9% over last year and that a family of four can expect to spend about $143 a day solely for meals and lodging this summer. Add 7 cents a mile for normal automobile operating costs and you’ve spent $164 for a 300-mile trip, the group said.