Summary:
- About 122 million Americans will travel 50+ miles over the holidays, AAA Travel reported.
- Driving is the top mode, with 89 percent of holiday travelers on road trips.
- Florida cities lead holiday travel destinations.
APPROXIMATELY 122.4 MILLION Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home over the 13-day year-end holiday period from Dec. 20 to Jan. 1, according to AAA Travel. This is a 2.2 percent increase from last year’s 119.7 million travelers.
AAA highlighted that driving is the most common mode of transportation among travelers this year.
“Year-end travel is a mix of family road trips, friend getaways and tropical vacations,” said Stacey Barber, AAA Travel’s vice president. “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.”
Mode of transportation
Driving is the preference for 89 percent of holiday travelers taking road trips. The association projected 109.5 million Americans will travel by car for year-end trips, a 2 percent increase from last year. Gas prices are lower than last holiday season, when the national average was $3.04. For the first time in four years, the national average fell below $3 a gallon this month and prices could continue dropping through the end of 2025.
AAA projected that 8.03 million travelers will take domestic flights this holiday season, a 2.3 percent increase from last year. This is the first year domestic air travel over the year-end holiday period exceeds 8 million. Roundtrip domestic flights are 7 percent higher this year, averaging nearly $900. The days before Christmas are the most expensive, while flying on the holiday is cheaper. New Year’s flights are also high, with many returning on Jan. 1 or 4.
Travel by other modes is also expected to rise 9 percent, with 4.9 million people using buses, trains or cruises. This category has grown 25 percent since 2019, largely due to demand for cruises.
Based on AAA booking data, warm domestic destinations lead holiday travel. Florida cities including Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Miami and Tampa top the list, followed by Southern California destinations such as Anaheim/Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Hawaii also ranks highly, with Honolulu and Maui among the most booked spots.
Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and Miami take the top three domestic positions, while other popular destinations include New York City and Dallas/Fort Worth, AAA found.
AAA recently forecasted that a record 81.8 million Americans would travel at least 50 miles from home during Thanksgiving, Nov. 25 to Dec. 1, 1.6 million more than last year.
