As the holiday season kicks into high gear, millions of Americans are preparing for what is expected to be a record-breaking travel period. According to AAA, more people will travel this holiday season than ever before.
From December 21 to January 1, 2025, an estimated 119 million Americans are expected to travel, marking the busiest holiday travel season on record. In Texas alone, 9.1 million residents will be on the move, a 2% increase over last year. Of those, 8.5 million will be traveling by car, and 413,000 will be flying.
AAA spokesperson Daniel Armbruster noted that 2019 had been a record year for Texas travel, but nationally, 2024 is set to outpace all previous years. Armbruster mentioned that December 22 is expected to be the busiest day on the roads during the holiday period, with major highways like I-35 seeing heavy traffic and congestion, especially in metro areas.
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is preparing for high volumes as well, expecting around 30,000 travelers each day, with a total of about 150,000 travelers passing through during the holiday travel period.
Travelers are advised to plan ahead and expect heavy crowds. Many are arriving early to avoid delays, with some even recounting past experiences of long TSA lines. To ensure a smooth experience, AAA recommends arriving at least 2.5 hours early for domestic flights and 3 hours for international travel.
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