According to multiple organizations, the upcoming Christmas and New Year’s holidays are expected to be the busiest in American history.
The American Automobile Association (AAA) predicts that between December 20 and January 1, there will be over 122 million people traveling, a 2.2% increase from last year’s record of 119.7 million.
The well-known website Worldometer provides real-time global statistics and estimates that as of 2025, the total population of the United States is approximately around 347 million people.
AAA also forecasts that around 8.03 million people will be traveling by air within the United States, a 2.3% increase from last year.
Data from AAA’s bookings indicate that Florida, Southern California, and Hawaii top the list of domestic holiday travel destinations, indicating that many travelers are opting for a sunny Christmas instead of a white one.
United Airlines states that they are expecting the busiest winter holiday season ever, with the Saturday after Christmas (December 27) projected to be the airline’s busiest day in terms of passenger traffic.
American Airlines mentions plans to have four flights taking off every minute during the holiday period from December 18 to January 5.
The company also predicts that the busiest day will be December 19 (Friday), followed by January 4 (Sunday).
On the road, AAA forecasts that around 109.5 million people will be driving during the holiday period, a 2% increase from last year.
The analysis company INRIX predicts that the weekend before Christmas (December 20-21) is expected to be particularly busy, as well as the day after Christmas (December 26).
They also state that Christmas and New Year’s Day (both Thursdays) are expected to be the quietest days on the roads.
(Information sourced from ABC NEWS)