AAA projects 122.4 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home over the 13-day year-end holiday period from December 20 to January 1, with the first day of the holiday season seeing peak congestion for the Boston area.

“Year-end travel is a mix of family road trips, friend getaways, and tropical vacations” said Stacey Barber, Vice President of AAA Travel. “Holiday celebrations look different for everyone, but a common thread is the desire to travel, whether it’s returning to your hometown or exploring new destinations.”  

This year’s AAA forecast shows a 2.2% increase over 2024, surpassing last year’s record of 119.7 million travelers. AAA projects a record 8.03 million travelers will take domestic flights this holiday season, a 2.3% increase compared to last year. The roadside service provider, however, is expecting 89% of holiday travelers to take road trips.

Luckily for drivers, however, gas prices are lower compared to last holiday season, when the national average was $3.04. At the time of writing, the gas prices nationally are at $2.93, and in Massachusetts the average is currently sitting at $3.01.

INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, expects Christmas week to be busier on the roads than New Year’s week, but both weeks will see days of increased traffic. The holidays themselves – Christmas and New Year’s Day – are typically the lightest traffic-wise.

Peak congestion in the Boston-area toward Portsmouth via I-19 North will be on Saturday, December 20 at 3:30 p.m, with an increased travel time of 126% compared to the typical day.

The best and worst time to travel by car:

AAA also is urging drivers to prioritize safety, especially with December being National Impaired Driving Prevention Month. 

For those flying, however, AAA data, which is based on what travelers paid when they booked their holiday trips, shows that a roundtrip domestic flight is 7% more expensive this year, averaging nearly $900 a ticket. 

The Top 10 year-end destinations domestically are:

1. Orlando, Florida
2. Fort Lauderdale, Florida
3. Miami, Florida
4. Los Angeles, California
5. Honolulu, Hawaii
6. Tampa, Florida
7. New York City, New York
8. Maui, Hawaii
9. Dallas, Texas
10. Las Vegas, Nevada

The Top 10 year-end destinations internationally are:

1. Cancun, Mexico
2. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
3. Cozumel, Mexico
4. San Jose, Costa Rica
5. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
6. San Juan, Puerto Rico
7. Nassau, Bahamas
8. Rome, Italy
9. Oranjestad, Aruba
10.  Sydney, Australia