AAA Says Buckle Up as 115.2 Million People Expected to Travel for Christmas and Holiday Gatherings

(KNSI) — Whether hitting the road or flying the friendly skies, 115.2 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home, going over the river and through the woods for holiday gatherings.

AAA says from December 23rd through January 1st, 2023’s holiday travel period will see a 2.2% increase in domestic travelers from last year. This year, though busier than it has been, will fall short of the record 119 million travelers from 2019.

Nearly 104 million people will drive to their destinations, and 7.51 million people are projected to head to the airports. The rest of the travelers will take other modes of transportation, such as going by bus or train.

Gas prices are around where they were last year, which was $2.96. In Minnesota, the average is about $2.91. It’s $2.88 in St. Cloud, but it may be a wrap for falling gas prices. The national average hit a low of $3.06 on December 18th but went up six cents almost immediately, marking the first increase since September. Demand went down last week as the domestic supply went up. That is expected to change now that the U.S. is in the holiday driving season.

According to AAA, Saturday, December 23rd, and Thursday, December 28th, are expected to be the busiest on the road. December 30th will also be more congested. Before Christmas, airline passengers can expect busy checkpoints on the 23rd, but the busiest travel day for the season is expected to be Wednesday, December 27th, followed by the 30th.

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