After surviving very busy roads and airports over Thanksgiving, Americans traveling during the winter holidays can expect a lot more of the same: congestion and crowds. If you’re driving or flying, you’ll want to have a strategy to minimize the impact.
The American Automobile Association (AAA) estimates that nearly 104 million people will drive at least 50 miles from home over the winter holidays—1.8% more than in 2022 and the second-highest number since the group started forecasting in 2000. Meanwhile, 7.5 million people will fly during the same period (a 4.7% bump over last year), making it the busiest year for air travel on record.
For its forecast, AAA considers the “year-end holiday travel period” to span the 10 days from Dec. 23 to Jan. 1.
The best and worst times to drive over the holidays in 2024
AAA says to expect the worst traffic on Saturday, Dec. 23, and Thursday, Dec. 28, as well as some congestion on Saturday, Dec. 30. Minimal impacts are predicted for Dec. 24–25 as well as Dec. 31–Jan. 1 (Sundays and Mondays).
Saturday, December 23
Best time: before 10 a.m.
Worst time: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Tuesday, December 26
Best time: before 12 p.m.
Worst time: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Wednesday, December 27
Best time: before 12 p.m.
Worst time: 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Thursday, December 28
Best time: before 12 p.m.
Worst time: 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Friday, December 29
Best time: before 12 p.m.
Worst time: 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday, December 30
Best time: before 12 p.m.
Worst time: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
AAA also predicts peak congestion windows for major metro areas, though the worst days, times, and specific stretches of road vary widely. For example, I-80 from San Francisco to Sacramento is expected to see a 73% increase in traffic on the evening of Saturday, Dec. 23, while I-25 from Fort Collins to Denver will hit its peak (67% over normal) on the afternoon of Friday, Dec. 29.
The best and worst times to fly over the holidays in 2024
If you’re flying, you can also expect airports to be busier on certain high-volume days. This may be less avoidable than road traffic, especially if you’ve already booked your tickets, but you can at least be prepared for the crowds and the chaos.
Note that airport traffic and flight delays can be harder to predict because of variables like the weather and technical meltdowns, as well as changing schedules across different days of the week. The Points Guy reports that the busiest air travel days last season were Thursday, Dec. 21; Friday, Dec. 30; and Monday, Jan. 2 according to TSA data.
Meanwhile, industry group Airlines for America predicts that the busiest days this year will be Dec. 21–22 and Dec. 26–29, while the quietest will be the holidays themselves: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.
