Millions of Americans expected to hit roads and skies this holiday season

By Alexis Freeman

Courtesy of Adobe Express

In 2024, more than 119 million Americans were traveling 50 miles or more during the Christmas and New Year’s holiday period, according to the AAA’s 2024 year-end travel forecast. The projection marks one of the busiest holiday travel seasons in recent years, reflecting strong consumer confidence and a continued return to pre-pandemic travel habits.

About 107 million of those travelers were reported to travel by car, according to the AAA.

Despite the overwhelming concerns over traffic congestion, the winter weather resulted in higher demand for roadside assistance. AAA estimated that about 7.85 million travelers would fly that season, whereas 4.47 million would rely on other options, including buses, trains, and cruises.

Analysts say the 2025 holiday period could see similar trends or even higher levels of travel.

Travel analysts also noted that Thanksgiving trends are often early indicators of how Christmas and the New Year will unfold.

Transportation officials are already preparing for the crowds to come this holiday season. Last year, according to the Transportation Security Administration, airport checkpoints were reported to screen more than 40 million passengers nationwide between December 19 and January 2, making it one of the busiest holiday travel periods in TSA history.

“I’m on a plane every month, going to different places, but one month that I despise traveling in is November and December," said Gabrielle Wise-Brice, an avid traveler. “It’s way too many people and the lines are ridiculous,” she said.

Despite the heavy traffic to come, gas prices are expected to remain stable. According to

GasBuddy, forecasted that gas prices will sit at a national average of $3.02 per gallon over the holiday. For 2024, the average price for a gallon was the same, with both years holding the record for the lowest holiday prices since the pandemic.

Travel safety is also a discussion. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration, December is among the highest months for roadway fatalities, which are caused by winter weather and congested conditions. NHTSA warns that distracted driving and speeding remain the leading factors in holiday crashes.

According to the AAA Newsroom, AAA projects 81.8 million people will travel for

Thanksgiving in 2025, which is an increase of 1.6 million from 2024.

“I think when you have a plan in place while trying, and do everything ahead of time, it can

make traveling a lot less stressful than it already is. You just have to plan it out,” said D’Angelo Douglas II, a traveler.

As Americans prepare to travel for Thanksgiving, winter vacations, family gatherings, or holiday celebrations, experts say patience, planning, and awareness will help make this season safer and manageable for everyone.