VIRGINIA BEACH — AAA is projecting 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 — a 2.2% increase over 2024, surpassing last year’s record of 119.7 million travelers.
“Year-end travel is a mix of family road trips, friend getaways, and tropical vacations” said Stacey Barber, Vice President of AAA Travel. “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.”
Year-End Travelers by Mode
- 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. 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 travelers who are renting cars, AAA car rental partner Hertz says Saturday, Dec. 20 is expected to be the busiest pick-up day. The top 5 markets with the highest demand are Orlando, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, and Phoenix. 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 roundtrip 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 Sunday, Jan. 4.
- By Other Modes: Travel by other modes is expected to go up by 9%, AAA said, 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.
Travel Time
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. Friday, Dec. 26, is also expected to be busy as travelers make moves post-Christmas Day. The holidays themselves — Christmas and New Year’s Day — are typically the lightest traffic-wise, but crashes or severe weather could create unexpected delays.
Best & Worst Times to Travel (by car)
Top Holiday Destinations
The top holiday destinations listed below are based on AAA booking data for the year-end travel period. Warm destinations dominate the domestic side with travelers heading to Florida, Southern California, and Hawaii. Caribbean destinations and resort towns in Mexico are also popular to celebrate the year-end holidays and ring in 2026.
