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Most On Record: Here's What Percentage Of Americans Will Travel This Holiday Season

Planning on traveling for the holidays? You won’t be alone.

This holiday season is expected to be the busiest in history, according to AAA.

This holiday season is expected to be the busiest in history, according to AAA.

Photo Credit: AAA

Fresh on the heels of one of the busiest Thanksgiving travel seasons, Americans getting ready to go on the move for the Christmas and New Year holidays. AAA estimates that a record-breaking 112.5 million travelers - more than a third of all Americans - are expected to visit family and friends for the holiday.

“’Tis the season for holiday travel, and more Americans than ever will journey to spend time with friends and family or choose to take a vacation,” Bryan Shilling, managing director of AAA Travel products and services stated. “Strong economic growth fueled by robust consumer spending continues to drive strong demand for seasonal travel. With a record-breaking one-third of the country choosing to travel this holiday, roadways and airports are sure to be busy.”

According to AAA, more Americans will travel by car this holiday season than ever before. An estimated 102 million people are expected to hit the road, a 4.4 percent increase from a year ago. More than six million people are expected to fly, the highest level in 15 years. AAA notes that nearly four million people will also travel by train, bus or hit the water on a cruise.

Drivers in the New York metro areas can expect to see travel times more than three times a routine trip, according to INRIX, a global transportation analytics leader. The nation’s “worst” roadway travel day will be Thursday, Dec. 20.

“With a record-level number of travelers hitting the road this holiday, drivers must be prepared for delays in major metro areas – with Thursday, Dec. 20 being the nation’s worst day to travel,” Trevor Reed, transportation analyst at INRIX, advised. “Our advice is to avoid traveling during peak commuting hours. If schedules allow, leave bright and early, or after the morning commute.”

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