Holiday travel expected to top 115M travelers — and break flying record: AAA

Prepare for lines, crowds and traffic: This holiday travel season is set to be one of the busiest yet.

Over the 10-day year-end holiday travel period from Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, to Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, the American Automobile Association projects that 115.2 million travelers overall will go 50 miles or more from home — a 2.2% increase from last year.

This year will mark the second-busiest since AAA began tracking Christmas and New Year’s travel in 2000. The busiest year was 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic halted worldwide travel, according to AAA’s year-end forecast.

According to INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, Saturday, Dec. 23, and Thursday, Dec. 28, will be the most congested days on the road, and Saturday, Dec. 30 will see more traffic than any normal Saturday.

“Nationwide, drivers could see travel times up to 20% longer this holiday season. In major metros, especially in Denver, Minneapolis, and Washington, DC, drivers could experience nearly double the typical delays,” Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX, said in a statement.

“Avoid peak commuting hours and use traffic apps, local DOT notifications, and 511 services to minimize holiday travel traffic frustrations.”

The AAA expects airports to have the busiest holiday season yet with a projected 7.5 million air travelers, beating 2019’s record of 7.3 million.

“This year-end holiday forecast, with an additional 2.5 million travelers compared to last year, mirrors what AAA Travel has been observing throughout 2023,” Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel, said in a news release.

“More Americans are investing in travel, despite the cost, to make memories with loved ones and experience new places.”

Luckily for those hopping on a plane for their travels, average ticket prices are slightly lower than last year, AAA reported.

“It depends on your desired route and destination. There are last-minute deals to be found, but if your preference is a nonstop flight with seat selection, AAA recommends booking well in advance and protecting your investment with travel insurance,” Twidale shared.

Meanwhile, a majority of travelers will drive to their holiday destinations, with nearly 104 million people expected to hit the road — up 1.8% compared to 2022. Traveling by car this year is also the second-highest record behind 2019 when 108 million people hit the road.

The best times to get on the road for holiday travels are either before lunchtime or after 7 p.m.

The number of people traveling by other methods of transportation such as bus, train and cruise is also expected to surpass 2019.

AAA projects that more than 4 million will take an alternative mode of transportation during the year-end season compared to 3.66 million in 2022 and 3.89 million in 2019.

In a post-pandemic era, the interest in cruises has increased, and the industry is prepared for an influx of cruise bookings that typically come in the new year.

“Savvy travelers know that right after the holidays is the best time to book a cruise,” Twidale said. “That’s when cruise lines offer some of the best deals, and AAA members get exclusive benefits in addition to those discounts.”