AAA: Year-End Holiday Travel Expected to Set Record 

AAA projects 122.4 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home over the 13-day year-end holiday period beginning Dec. 20 and ending Jan. 1. This year’s forecast represents a 2.2% increase over 2024, surpassing last year’s record of 119.7 million travelers.  

“Year-end travel is a mix of family road trips, friend getaways and tropical vacations,” said Jillian Young, director of public relations for AAA Northeast. “Holiday celebrations look different for everyone, but a common thread is the desire to travel, whether it’s returning to your hometown or exploring new destinations.”  

Year-End Travelers by Mode of Transportation 

By car:

AAA projects 109.5 million Americans — 89% of holiday travelers — will travel by car for their year-end trips, an increase of 2% compared to last year. For travelers who are renting cars, AAA car rental partner Hertz says Saturday, Dec. 20 is expected to be the busiest pick-up day.  

With a record number of travelers on the road, AAA urges drivers to prioritize safety. December is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, which serves as a timely reminder to make safe choices and stay vigilant. AAA and MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) encourage travelers to plan safe rides home during the holiday season, one of the most dangerous times of year to be on the road. 

During 2024’s year-end holiday period, AAA responded to more than 860,000 roadside assistance calls to help drivers with issues like dead batteries, flat tires and empty fuel tanks. When AAA responds to roadside incidents, it’s incumbent upon all of us to keep everyone safe. Slow Down, Move Over requires you to reduce your speed and change lanes when you see stopped vehicles on the side of the road, which gives roadside technicians, law enforcement officials and others room to complete their work safely. 

By air: 

AAA projects a record 8.03 million travelers taking domestic flights this holiday season, a 2.3% increase from last year. This will be the first time that the number of domestic air travelers over the year-end holiday period exceeds 8 million.  

By other modes: 

Travel by other modes is expected to increase by 9% with 4.9 million people traveling by bus, train or cruise. This category has seen a 25% increase since 2019, mainly due to the record-setting demand for cruises post-pandemic.  

AAA’s Top Year-End Destinations 

The top holiday destinations listed below are based on AAA booking data for year-end travel.  

Best/Worst Times to Drive 

While both Christmas week and New Year’s week will see days of increased traffic, INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, expects Christmas week to be the busiest. Interstates will be extra congested the weekend before Christmas, as travelers hit the road on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 20 and 21, ahead of the holiday. Friday, Dec. 26, is also expected to be busy with post-Christmas Day travelers. Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day typically have the lightest traffic, but crashes or severe weather could create delays. 

Jillian Young

Based in Rhode Island, Jillian Young is AAA Northeast’s director of public relations. She regularly appears in local TV, radio and print media to discuss traffic safety, travel, insurance and more.