Holiday Huddle: Record 122.4 Million Americans Predicted to Travel for 2025 Year-End Season, Driven by Lower Gas Prices and Economic Confidence

Published on December 12, 2025

As the calendar turns toward the final weeks of 2025, a powerful sense of eagerness and mobility is sweeping across the nation. The simple, profound desire to gather with loved ones, escape the winter chill, or simply explore a new destination is translating into a monumental surge in travel. According to the latest forecast from AAA, a staggering 122.4 million Americans are expected to journey 50 miles or more from home during the 13-day year-end holiday period, stretching from December 20th through January 1st.

This colossal figure isn’t just a big number; it represents a new milestone in American mobility. The projection marks a significant 2.2% increase over the record set just last year (119.7 million travelers), confirming that the post-pandemic travel boom has fully matured into a sustained appetite for movement. This holiday season is poised to be the busiest year-end travel period on record, fueled by a unique convergence of favorable economic factors and an unwavering collective desire to make up for lost time and celebrate together.

The Reign of the Road Trip

The heart of American holiday travel remains the open road. When faced with the decision of how to move 122 million people, the family car overwhelmingly wins. AAA projects that nearly 109.5 million Americans, or a dominant 89% of all holiday travelers, will choose to drive to their destinations.

This overwhelming preference for the automobile is sustained by two key factors: convenience and cost-effectiveness. The ability to pack gifts, control one’s schedule, and make stops for impromptu fun makes the road trip an enduring tradition. Crucially, the economic landscape is favoring drivers this season. For the first time in four years, the national average price for gasoline has dipped below the $3 mark, providing a welcome relief that directly encourages longer trips and keeps budgets in check. While the majority of travelers will drive their own cars, rental cars also remain highly sought after, with Small SUVs being the most popular rental class for those looking to hit the road in comfort.

Air Travel Hits New Altitudes

While cars dominate the volume, air travel is setting its own historic benchmark. A projected 8.03 million travelers are expected to take to the skies for domestic flights, marking a 2.3% increase over last year. This is the first time on record that domestic air travel volume over the year-end holidays is expected to breach the eight million passenger mark, signaling the full and robust recovery of the aviation sector.

However, this popularity comes with a price tag. Travelers who opted to fly are finding domestic roundtrip tickets averaging nearly $900, representing about a 7% increase compared to last year. Flight costs tend to spike in the days leading up to Christmas, making Christmas Day itself or the slightly less-congested New Year’s period potential times for savings.

The message to flyers is clear: plan ahead. With airports operating at record capacity, early arrival (two hours for domestic, three for international) and comprehensive travel insurance are no longer optional conveniences, but critical necessities for safeguarding peace of mind against inevitable delays and winter weather disruptions.

The Allure of the Open Water and Rail

The third major travel category—which includes bus, train, and cruise travel—is experiencing the most explosive growth. AAA forecasts that 4.9 million people will utilize these alternative modes, representing a massive 9% jump compared to 2024. This growth is predominantly driven by the surging demand for cruises. Travelers are increasingly viewing cruises as a stress-free way to escape to warm weather destinations and ring in the new year without the logistical complexities of planning multiple flight and accommodation bookings.

The popularity of these ‘Other Modes’ of transport has seen an incredible 25% increase since the pre-pandemic year of 2019, underscoring the shift toward experiential, warm-weather getaways as part of the year-end holiday celebration.

The Destination Hotspots

The data on where Americans are heading confirms the national craving for sunshine. Warm-weather havens are dominating the top destination lists:

• Domestic Favorites: Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami in Florida, along with Anaheim/Los Angeles in Southern California, and Honolulu, Hawaii, top the list.
• International Escapes: Cancun, Punta Cana, and Cozumel in Mexico and the Dominican Republic are the leading international choices, offering tropical relaxation that is easily accessible.

The high demand for these sun-drenched locations means that the roads and skies servicing them—especially in Florida and Southern California—will be particularly congested. Traffic analysts warn that the peak travel times will occur on the weekend immediately before Christmas, with another significant spike expected on December 26th as post-holiday travelers hit the road. The lightest days for travel will typically be Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

This 2025 holiday season is set to be a vibrant display of American resilience and economic confidence. While the roads will be packed and the skies full, the collective push to connect, celebrate, and explore is creating a massive and unforgettable year-end national journey.