Nearly 104M Americans Expected to Hit the Road for Holiday Travel

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Approximately 115.2 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from home over the 10-day year-end holiday travel period, a 2.2.% increase over last year and the second highest year-end travel forecast since 2000, according to projections by AAA. 

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AAA expects nearly 104 million people will drive to their holiday destinations, an increase of 1.8% compared to 2022. This year's projected number of drivers is the second highest on record after 2019 when 108 million drivers hit the road for the holidays. 

As 2023 comes to a close, drivers can expect to pay about the same or less for a gallon of gas than they did last holiday season, when the national average on Christmas Day and New Year's Day was $3.10 and $3.20, respectively. 

"This year-end holiday forecast, with an additional 2.5 million travelers compared to last year, mirrors what AAA Travel has been observing throughout 2023," said Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel. "More Americans are investing in travel, despite the cost, to make memories with loved ones and experience new places." 

INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, says there will be several days of potentially bad traffic during the 10-day holiday period. Saturday, Dec. 23, and Thursday, Dec. 28, will likely be the most congested days on the road. Saturday, Dec. 30, when many people will be heading back home from their holiday destinations or traveling for New Year's Eve, will see an increase in traffic compared to a normal Saturday. 

INRIX recommends the best times to hit the road are before lunchtime or after 7 p.m. 

"Nationwide, drivers could see travel times up to 20% longer this holiday season. In major metros, especially in Denver, Minneapolis, and Washington, D.C., drivers could experience nearly double the typical delays," said Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX. "Avoid peak commuting hours and use traffic apps, local DOT notifications, and 511 services to minimize holiday travel traffic frustrations." 

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For other modes of travel, airports are expected to be the busiest they've ever been over the Christmas and New Year's travel period, while the number of people traveling via bus, train or cruise is projected to surpass 2019.