Year-End Holiday Travel to Set New Record

There’s no place like home for the holidays – or somewhere other than home.

A record number of Americans than ever – 122.4 million of us – will be on the road, in the air, and on trains and cruise ships this two-week holiday season, Sunday, Dec. 20 2025 through Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. So get ready for gridlock wherever you are.

This year’s forecast is a 2.2% increase over 2024, surpassing last year’s record of 119.7 million travelers, according to AAA, which conducts this annual survey.

Year-End Travelers by Type of Transportation

By Car:

AAA projects 109.5 million Americans will travel by car for their year-end trips, an increase of 2% compared to last year. Driving is the overwhelming favorite among all modes of transportation because of its convenience and low cost.

This year, 89% of holiday travelers will take road trips. Gas prices are lower compared to last holiday season when the national average was $3.04 to end 2024. For the first time in 4 years, the national average dropped below $3 a gallon this month, and prices could continue dropping as 2025 comes to a close.

With a record number of car travelers, AAA urges drivers to prioritize safety.

December is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month which serves as a timely reminder to make safe choices and stay vigilant. AAA and MADD encourage travelers to plan safe rides home this holiday season during one of the most dangerous times of year on the road.

See also – How to Avoid Road Rage

During 2024’s year-end holiday period, AAA responded to more than 860,000 emergency roadside assistance calls to help stranded drivers with issues like dead batteries, flat tires, and empty fuel tanks.

Rental Cars: 

AAA car rental partner Hertz says Saturday, December 20 is expected to be the busiest pick-up day.  The top 5 markets with the highest demand are Orlando, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, and Phoenix.

Small SUVs make up the most popular car rental class over the year-end holidays. According to AAA booking data, domestic car rentals are 1% more expensive this holiday season compared to last year.

By Air: 

AAA projects a record 8.03 million travelers will take domestic flights this holiday season, a 2.3% increase compared to last year. This will be the first time on record that the number of domestic air travelers over the year-end holiday period exceeds 8 million.

According to AAA data, which is based on what travelers paid when they booked their holiday trips, a roundtrip domestic flight is 7% more expensive this year, averaging nearly $900 a ticket.The days leading up to Christmas Day are the most expensive, while flying on the holiday itself is cheaper.

New Year’s flights are also pricey with many people returning home on New Year’s Day or even squeezing one extra weekend out of the holiday season and coming back on Sunday, January 4.

By Other Modes: 

Travel by other modes is expected to go up by 9% with 4.9 million people traveling by bus, train, or cruise.

This category has seen a 25% increase since 2019, mainly due to the record-setting demand for cruises post-pandemic.

• Times listed below are for the time zone in which the metro is located. For example, Atlanta routes = ET and Los Angeles routes = PT.

SOURCE: INRIX