More Than 119 Million Americans Hit the Road During Holiday Season, AAA Reports

Nearly 119.3 million Americans will have traveled 50 or more miles from home from December 21 through New Year’s Day, AAA reports. An additional three million will have driven or taken to the skies for the 2024 holiday season compared to the previous year.

“This was the time of year when lifelong memories were made with loved ones, and travel played a big role in that,” said Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel. “This year, with Christmas Day falling on a Wednesday, we anticipated record-breaking travel numbers the weekend before and the weekend after the holiday.”

Nearly 90 percent of holiday travelers drove to their destinations, making it the most popular way to travel. More than 107 million people traveled by car, and although that number was 2.5 million higher than last year, it fell shy of 2019’s record of 108 million. Many travelers, particularly families with young children, preferred the flexibility and lower cost that road trips provided.

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This Christmas season, gas prices were lower than the previous year, with the national average around $3.03 in the last weeks of December 2024. Gas demand went down as the weather got colder, more people worked remotely and holiday shoppers purchased gifts online instead of in person.

AAA reported that air travel set a new record this holiday season with 7.85 million passengers. That number surpassed the previous record of 7.5 million last year. AAA booking data showed that flights were 4 percent more expensive this holiday season compared to last year. The average domestic ticket was $830. International flights were 13 percent more expensive, averaging $1,630 a ticket.

Finally, the number of Americans traveling by bus, train, and cruise this holiday season was up nearly 10 percent compared to last year. AAA reported that 4.47 million people traveled by other modes. That number was the highest it had been in 20 years. Domestic cruise bookings were up 37 percent compared to last holiday season.

“With a near-record number of auto travelers expected this holiday season, drivers experienced delays in and around major metro areas, with Saturday, Dec. 21, being the nation’s worst day to travel,” said Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights. “Our advice was to avoid traveling during peak commuting hours during the week. If schedules allowed, leaving bright and early or after the evening commute proved most effective.”

–Alan Goforth | Metro Voice