Forget the airport rush this summer, nearly 12 million Brits are opting for a driving holiday, according to AA Personal Loans.

Half of Britons are choosing to spend at least one of their holidays in the UK this year, with three out of four of them saying they plan to use their car for trips within the UK and Europe in order to cut costs or avoid travel stress.

At a time when air fuel surcharges are soaring, the findings reveal that 22% of Britons say they are planning a driving holiday because they want to save money. Even though two thirds of AA members have indicated in a separate study that they have either cut back on journeys, reduced household expenditure, or done both due to the high cost of petrol and diesel, this does not seem to be affecting their plans for using the car for holidays.

Priorities also appear to be shifting between money and the environment. Just under a fifth of Britons were considering a UK break for environmental reasons last year, that’s now down to just 5%.

Mark Huggins, head of AA Personal Loans, said: “Our survey shows people are being smart with their money when booking holidays this summer. People are also thinking carefully about buying smaller cars to save money but it is important to make sure the car you choose is suitable for going on long holiday journeys, with enough room for all your passengers and luggage.

“A third of car buyers use a personal loan to buy their car – so make sure you get the best deal for your car finance too.”