A Record-Breaking 122 Million Americans Set to Travel for Year-End Holidays
AAA forecasts a record-breaking 122.4 million Americans will journey at least 50 miles from home during the year-end holiday period, spanning from December 20 through January 1. This marks a 2.2% increase over last year’s previous record of 119.7 million travelers, making it the busiest holiday travel season in history.
Unprecedented levels of air travel are expected, with 8.03 million passengers set to fly domestically. This is the first time holiday air travel has exceeded the eight-million mark, representing a 2.3% increase from last year. This surge comes despite average round-trip domestic airfares climbing to nearly $900, up 7% year-over-year. The Transportation Security Administration anticipates the busiest travel day to be Sunday, December 28, with approximately 2.86 million people projected to fly.
However, road travel continues to be the preferred mode, with 109.5 million Americans expected to drive during the holiday period. This accounts for 89% of all travelers. Motorists are finding some relief with gasoline prices, as the national average has dropped to $2.79 per gallon. This is below $3 for the first time in four years and down from $3.04 during last year’s holiday season.
- Florida, Southern California, and Hawaii top the domestic destination list, with travelers favoring warm-weather getaways over traditional winter destinations.
- Caribbean destinations and resort towns in Mexico are also popular for celebrating the year-end holidays.
- United Airlines expects December 27 to be its busiest day ever, while American Airlines is planning for four flight departures every minute during the holiday period.
However, winter weather is creating challenges for travelers. A powerful atmospheric river is battering California with heavy rain and flooding, while multiple winter storms are bringing snow and ice to the Northeast. Friday, December 26, is expected to be particularly congested on roadways as travelers make post-Christmas moves.
Source: AAA Year-End Holiday Travel Forecast