Saturday, December 23, and Thursday, December 28, will see the most crowded roadways, according to transportation data company INRIX. Drivers should also expect heavy traffic on Saturday, December 30, as travelers set out to their destinations to ring in 2024.
“Nationwide, drivers could see travel times up to 20% longer this holiday season,” INRIX transportation analyst Bob Pishue said in a news release. “In major metros, especially in Denver, Minneapolis, and Washington, D.C., drivers could experience nearly double the typical delays.”
According to INRIX data, the routes anticipated to see the most traffic this holiday season are San Francisco eastbound to Sacramento on I-80 on Saturday, December 23, around 5:15 p.m (predicted to take 73% longer than usual), Baltimore southbound to the nation’s capital on the Baltimore/Washington Parkway on Friday, December 29 around 3:45 p.m, and Fort Collins southbound to Denver on I-25 on Friday, December 29, around 2 p.m. (both are predicted to take 67% longer than usual).
AAA suggests road trippers leave before 10 a.m. on December 23 and before noon between December 26 and 30. “For drivers, December 26 to 29 will be busier than normal weekdays because holiday travelers will mix with commuters on the road,” Twidale says.
“With the holidays both falling on Mondays, the Saturdays before—on December 23 and 30—will be busy travel days on the roads and in the skies, especially for people who have to work through Friday and aren’t able to depart before then,” Twidale says, noting there will be more variation for return trips. “When people return depends on whether they are on vacation the entire week between Christmas and New Year’s.”
This year’s trending holiday destinations
For domestic trips, traditional warm-weather getaways are fan favorites this holiday season, AAA flight booking data shows, including Miami, Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Houston, as well as theme-park cities of Orlando and Anaheim, California. Also on AAA’s list are Chicago, Charlotte, Atlanta, and New York City.
Those opting for international vacations are heading to European urban centers, including London, Dublin, and Rome, as well as popular cool-weather spots, Reykjavik and Toronto, and beach getaways like Aruba, Montego Bay, and Costa Rica. Cities in U.S. territories like St. Thomas of the U.S. Virgin Islands and San Juan, Puerto Rico, are also popular holiday destinations this year, per AAA.
“2023 has been an incredible year for U.S. and Canada travel to international destinations, particularly Europe,” Twidale says. “Since borders opened up and testing was no longer an issue, European travel has exploded.” She notes that Christmas markets in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland are also in high demand.
Looking ahead to next year, all signs point to a continued momentum. “Despite some predictions of a slight economic slowdown for 2024, travel continues to perform well and exceed expectations,” she notes. “The overall percentage of travel as it contributes to GDP is high, so it shows that this sector will not be impacted as much as others.”
