Millions of Americans are expected to hit the roads, rails and skies during what AAA is predicting will be the busiest year-end holiday travel period on record.

The travel window runs from Saturday, Dec. 20 through Thursday, Jan. 1, with AAA predicting 122.4 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home — marking a 2.2% increase from last year’s record of 119.7 million.

The prediction includes 8.03 million domestic air travelers. This is the first time that AAA expects the number of flyers during the year-end holiday period to exceed 8 million.

What You Need To Know

  • Nationwide, AAA is predicting 122.4 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home

  • The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has issued reminders to travelers to anticipate delays, especially as work on the $19 billion JFK Airport redevelopment continues

  • On the roads, AAA is expecting 109.5 million people to travel by car, representing a 2% increase from 2024

  • Minimal traffic is expected on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day

AAA predicted the Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday before Christmas will be the busiest airport days.

“We are expecting record travel — airports are going to be packed,” said AAA spokesperson Aixa Diaz. “Saturday and Sunday before Christmas will be very busy, also the Monday and Tuesday. Once you get to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, things slow down a bit.”

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has issued reminders to travelers to anticipate delays around Christmas, especially as work on the $19 billion John F. Kennedy International Airport redevelopment continues this holiday season.

The agency says anyone traveling to the airport by car should “plan ahead for delays or reroutes due to detours or closures of parts of the airport roadway network.”

“Customers are strongly advised to use mass transit to and from the airport, such as MTA New York City Transit subway or buses, or MTA Long Island Rail Road — with 20-minute trains from Grand Central Terminal or Penn Station to the AirTrain JFK station at Jamaica,” the agency said.

Meanwhile, on the roads, AAA is expecting 109.5 million people to travel by car, representing a 2% increase from 2024. The agency noted that lower gas prices compared with last season could make road travel more appealing nationwide.

The worst times to drive during the holiday season, according to AAA and INRIX data, are expected to be:

  • Saturday, Dec. 20: 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.
  • Sunday, Dec. 21: 1 p.m. – 7 p.m.
  • Monday, Dec. 22: 1 p.m. – 7 p.m.
  • Tuesday, Dec. 23: 1 p.m. – 7 p.m.
  • Friday, Dec. 26: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
  • Saturday, Dec. 27: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
  • Sunday, Dec. 28: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
  • Monday, Dec. 29: 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.
  • Tuesday, Dec. 30: 12 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Minimal traffic is expected on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. AAA recommends traveling on the holiday itself to avoid heavy congestion.

AAA also projects 4.9 million people will travel by bus, train or cruise, a 9% increase from last year and a 25% increase since 2019.