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 is a 2.2% increase over 2024, surpassing last year’s record of 119.7 million travelers.

“As we continue to set new travel records, it’s clear that most Americans love to travel and make it a priority, especially when making year-end travel plans,” said Theresa Podguski, director of legislative affairs, AAA East Central. “AAA’s projections show that travelers will spend the holidays in a variety of ways, including family road trips, cruises, tropical vacations, and more.”

Year-end travelers by mode of transportation

By Car: AAA projects 109.5 million Americans will travel by car for their year-end trips, an increase of 2% compared to last year. Driving is the overwhelming favorite among all modes of transportation because of its convenience and low cost. This year, 89% of holiday travelers will take road trips. Gas prices are lower compared to last holiday season when the national average was $3.04 to end 2024. For the first time in 4 years, the national average dropped below $3 a gallon this month.

With a record number of car travelers, 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 encourage holiday travelers to plan safe rides home this holiday season during one of the most dangerous times of year on the road.

During 2024’s year-end holiday period, AAA responded to more than 860,000 emergency roadside assistance calls to help stranded drivers with issues like dead batteries, flat tires, and empty fuel tanks.

When AAA responds to those roadside emergencies, safety is a top priority. “Safe. Slow Down, Move Over” means when there is a stopped vehicles on the side of the road, motorists should move over a lane if safe to do so, and reduce speed. That gives tow truck technicians, law enforcement officials, and other individuals room to complete their work safely.

For travelers who are renting cars, AAA car rental partner Hertz says Dec. 20 is expected to be the busiest pickup day. Small SUVs make up the most popular car rental class over the year-end holidays.

According to AAA booking data, domestic car rentals are 1% more expensive this holiday season compared to last year.

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

According to AAA data, which is based on what travelers paid when they booked their holiday trips, a round-trip domestic flight is 7% more expensive this year, averaging nearly $900 a ticket. The days leading up to Christmas Day are the most expensive, while flying on the holiday itself is cheaper. New Year’s flights are also pricey with many people returning home on New Year’s Day or even squeezing one extra weekend out of the holiday season and coming back on Jan. 4.

By Other Modes: Travel by other modes is expected to go up 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.

Best/worst times to drive

INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, expects Christmas week to be busier on the roads than New Year’s week, but both weeks will see days of increased traffic. Interstates will be extra congested the weekend before Christmas, as travelers hit the road on Saturday and Sunday ahead of the holiday.

Dec. 26 is also expected to be busy as travelers make moves post-Christmas Day.

Because the year-end holiday travel period spans a longer time frame, travelers have more options for departures and returns. The holidays themselves — Christmas and New Year’s Day — are typically the lightest traffic-wise but remember crashes or severe weather could create unexpected delays.