The American Automobile Association (AAA) has predicted that the 2024 year-end holiday period will see the highest number of domestic travelers ever. Approximately 119.3 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home between December 21, 2024, and January 1, 2025, surpassing the previous 2019 record by 64,000 travelers.
Road travel remains the preferred mode of transport, with nearly 90% of holiday travelers, or 107 million people, set to drive to their destinations. This figure is 2.5 million more than last year, though slightly less than the 2019 record of 108 million. Lower gas prices this holiday season than last year’s national average of $3.12 are expected to incentivize road travel.
Regarding car rentals, Hertz anticipates high demand in cities such as Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Oahu, Orlando, Phoenix, and Tampa. The busiest rental pick-up days will likely be December 20 and 21, with returns peaking the weekend and Monday after Christmas.
Air travel is also set to experience a new high this holiday season, with an anticipated 7.85 million passengers, surpassing last year’s 7.5 million. However, AAA’s data shows flight prices have increased by 4% compared to last year, with the average domestic ticket costing $830 and international flights averaging $1,630.
Bus, train, and cruise travel is expected to rise nearly 10% compared to last year, with 4.47 million people choosing these modes of transport. Domestic cruise bookings are up 37% from last year, making it a popular choice for families during the holiday season.
In light of the anticipated surge in road travel, AAA has urged drivers to prioritize safety. It recommends adhering to speed limits, driving when alert and refreshed, and slowing down and moving over when encountering emergency responders on the road.
Transportation data provider INRIX predicts the worst traffic delays to occur on the weekends before Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, with travel times potentially increasing up to 30% nationwide. Major cities like Boston, New York City, Seattle, and Washington, DC could face double the typical delays.
Based on AAA’s booking data, the top holiday destinations domestically are Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Anaheim, and Tampa. Internationally, the most popular destinations are Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, Mexicali and Cancun in Mexico, Bahrain, and Puerto Vallarta in Mexico.
