Holiday Airline Travel: Airports Busier Than Ever

AAA projects 115.2 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from home over the ten-day year-end holiday travel period, with airports the busiest they’ve ever been between Christmas and New Year’s.

So plan now to maximize time and minimize frustration.AAA projects 7.5 million air travelers this holiday season, surpassing 2019’s record of 7.3 million passengers.

This holiday season, many travelers are heading to warm weather destinations like Florida and the Caribbean, tourist hotspots like New York and Las Vegas, and European cities like London and Rome.

Top Domestic Destinations

Orlando, FL

Anaheim, CA

Chicago, IL

Charlotte, NC

Miami, FL

Atlanta, GA

Las Vegas, NV

New York, NY

Phoenix, AZ

Houston, TX

Top International Destinations

London, England

St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Aruba

Dublin, Ireland

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Rome, Italy

Reykjavík, Iceland

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Montego Bay, Jamaica

Costa Rica

Airport Parking Tips

With a record number of air travelers expected this holiday season, AAA recommends travelers plan ahead and take precautions when driving to the airport and parking your vehicle.

Reserve a parking spot ahead of time to save time and money.
Choose a well-lit, secure garage.
On-site garages tend to be more expensive but offer convenience and peace of mind given their proximity to the terminals.
If choosing off-site parking, look for reputable businesses like The Parking Spot, which is securely fenced and offers a shuttle to the airport (AAA members get a discount).
Opt for covered parking if you live in an area expecting inclement weather, even if it costs more.
Remove valuables from your vehicle.
Lock doors and roll up windows.
Take a photo of your spot to remember where you parked.
Keep your ticket – and receipt, if you prepaid – handy to show when exiting.

Also, allow extra time to get to the airport so you don’t miss your flight. The AAA also predicts more folk will be on the road this year than last year.

And never get on an airplane without travel insurance, which will protect you from missed connections, missing baggage and more.

Holiday Forecast Methodology

In cooperation with AAA, S&P Global Market Intelligence developed a unique methodology to forecast actual domestic travel volumes. The economic variables used to forecast travel for the current holiday are leveraged from S&P Global Market Intelligence’s proprietary databases. These data include macroeconomic drivers such as employment, output, household net worth, asset prices, including stock indices, interest rates, housing market indicators, and variables related to travel and tourism, including gasoline prices, airline travel, and hotel stays. AAA and S&P Global Market Intelligence have quantified holiday travel volumes going back to 2000.

Full disclosure –

I write for AAA Northeast and other AAA publications

ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is a journalist with 20+ years of experience as a newspaper and magazine writer, radio & TV news producer & reporter, and author of guidebooks and smartphone apps – all focusing on travel, automotive, the environment and your rights as a consumer.

ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter currently serves as President of the International Motor Press Assn. (IMPA), a former Board Member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and a current member of the North American Travel Journalists Assn. (NATJA) and the North American Snowsports Journalists Assn. (NASJA).

Contact me at evelyn@ecoxplorer.com.