AAA projects 119.3 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home over the year-end holiday period from Saturday, Dec. 21, to Wednesday, Jan. 1. This year’s domestic travel projection is expected to set a new record with an additional 3 million travelers compared to last year.
“Christmas Day falls on a Wednesday this year, which puts both the weekend before and after the holiday in play for travelers,” said Jillian Young, AAA Northeast. “We continue to see demand for travel soar at this time of year as Americans visit family and friends and take in new destinations.”
Nearly 90% of holiday travelers will be driving to their destinations: 107 million people are expected to travel by car, 2.5 million more than last year. AAA car rental partner Hertz says the busiest pickup days are expected to be Friday, Dec. 20, and Saturday, Dec. 21. The busiest time for rental returns is expected to be the weekend after Christmas and the following Monday.
AAA expects air travel to set a new record this holiday season with 7.85 million passengers. That number surpasses the previous record of 7.5 million air travelers last year. AAA booking data shows domestic flights are 4% more expensive, and international flights are 13% more expensive this holiday season compared to last year.
The number of Americans traveling by bus, train and cruise this holiday season is up nearly 10% compared to last year, with 4.47 million people expected to travel by other modes. Domestic cruise bookings are up 37% compared to last holiday season.
Best and Worst Times to Drive
INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, expects drivers will experience the worst traffic delays the weekends before Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. The holidays themselves are expected to have minimal congestion.
AAA’s Top Holiday Destinations
Tropical weather destinations are hot this holiday season, according to AAA booking data for Dec. 21 to Jan. 1. Domestically, several cities in Florida top the list, followed by Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The most popular international destinations include the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Costa Rica.
Will you be traveling this holiday season? Tell us in the comments.
