The AAA estimates 112.7 million people will travel 50 miles or more away from home from during the holiday season.
According to the organisation, that’s an increase of 3.6 million people over last year and closing in on pre-pandemic numbers. 2022 is also expected to be the third busiest year for holiday travel since AAA began tracking in 2000.
“This year, travel time will be extended due to Christmas Day and New Year’s Day falling on Sundays,” said Paula Twidale, AAA’s Senior Vice President of Travel.
“With hybrid work schedules, we are seeing more people take long weekends to travel because they can work remotely at their destination and be more flexible with the days they depart and return.”
Between December 23 to January 2 nearly 102 million Americans are expected to drive to their holiday destinations – an additional two million drivers compared to 2021. Travel by car this year is on par with 2018 but shy of 2019 when 108 million Americans drove out of town for the holidays, the highest year on record.
Air travel will see a 14 per cent increase over last year, with nearly 7.2 million Americans expected to fly. AAA expects the number of people taking holiday flights this year will come close to matching 2019 when 7.3 million Americans traveled by air.
Other modes of transportation are also rebounding in a big way. AAA estimates travel by bus, rail, and cruise ship will rise to 3.6 million this holiday season, a 23 per cent increase from last year and nearly 94 per cent of 2019’s volume.
