Record-Breaking Holiday Travel in 2025: A $311B Spending Spree
The 2025 holiday travel season is on track to shatter previous records. Americans are projected to spend a whopping $311 billion on flights and hotels. This equates to an average of $2,586 per person, marking an increase of nearly $260 from the previous year, as per NerdWallet’s annual holiday travel report.
Booking data reveals a 2.2% increase for Thanksgiving trips and a nearly 1% rise for Christmas week compared to 2024. United CEO Scott Kirby forecasts that “the entire fourth quarter, including fall break, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, are all likely to set records owing to strong demand.”
Travel experts are urging immediate bookings, emphasizing that this week is crucial for securing Thanksgiving travel plans. For Christmas bookings, the first week of November is deemed essential. According to NerdWallet, the optimal deadline for booking Christmas travel is at least 51 days in advance, which falls on November 4th.
There’s a silver lining for road travelers as well: gas prices are on a downward trend nationwide, nearing $3 per gallon. Some regions in Oklahoma and Ohio might even see prices drop below $2 per gallon. In response to the rising demand, airlines are adding approximately 250,000 more seats for Thanksgiving travel.
Source: CBS News