If you’re planning an end-of-year getaway, whether it be a vacation or traveling to spend the holidays with loved ones, you’re not alone.
AAA released its projections for the year-end holiday period, which goes from Dec. 20 through Jan. 1, and the automobile association is expecting record numbers both on the roadways and in the skies.
This year’s domestic forecast projects 122.4 million Americans traveling at least 50 miles from home over the 13 days. If the projections materialize, it would be a 2.2% increase over 2024, surpassing last year’s record of 119.7 million travelers.
“Year-end travel is a mix of family road trips, friend getaways, and tropical vacations,” President of AAA Travel Stacey Barber explained. “Holiday celebrations look different for everyone, but a common threat is a desire to travel, whether it’s returning to your hometown or exploring new destinations.”
Of the 122.4 million projected year-end travelers, the majority are expected to use cars as their mode of transportation. AAA projects 109.5 million people will travel via the roadways, a 2% increase from 2024.
With that many people choosing to hit the road, there may be some concerns over gas. AAA officials said not to fret, especially if you live in Mississippi, where gas prices remain the cheapest in the nation and should remain the cheapest through Christmas and the New Year holidays.
“We’ll see those prices continue to drop as we move into the Christmas and New Year’s holidays,” AAA spokesperson Don Redman said. Since Thanksgiving, the national average for a gallon of regular fuel has hovered around $2.90, while Mississippi’s pump price has floated around $2.50 a gallon.
As for the skies, more and more people are slowly but surely getting back on planes as airports nationwide settle back into normalcy following last month’s end of the government shutdown. AAA is projecting 8.03 million travelers will take domestic flights this holiday season, a 2.3% increase compared to last year. It would be the first time on record that the number of domestic air travelers over the year-end holiday period exceeds 8 million.