AAA Forecasts Record U.S. Holiday Travel Dec. 20–Jan. 1; Travel Up 2.2% Year‑over‑Year

AAA forecasts record U.S. holiday travel between Dec. 20 and Jan. 1, projecting a 2.2% year‑over‑year increase in travelers for the period. The projection marks the highest expected holiday travel volume on record for that two‑week window.

Discovered 2025-12-09T21:03:56.473061-08:00 | 2025-12-09T21:03:56.473061-08:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

AAA projects a 2.2% rise in U.S. holiday travel for Dec. 20–Jan. 1; that increase will amplify peak‑period flight and passenger volumes the FAA previously warned could exceed more than 360,000 flights over the Thanksgiving period.
Concentrated passenger flows implied by AAA’s forecast will heighten operational strain on terminals, queues, baggage handling and on‑time performance, echoing issues outlined in our analysis of top U.S. airports and expected Thanksgiving operational impacts.

Reported By

Airline Geeks today.com Airlines for America Skift