Without the reindeer and sleds, drivers and airline passengers had better be striving for it because it's starting to look like another record for holiday travel in America. government shutdown looms
auto club AAA estimates that more than 119 million people will travel There should be at least a 50-mile drive from home between Saturday and New Year's Day, which would be well above the high of previous holiday seasons in 2019. The two weekends either side of Christmas seem to be some of the most crowded times on roads and airports.
Trade group Airlines for America also predicted record travel, saying it expected U.S. airlines to carry 54 million passengers during the 19-day period starting Thursday and ending Monday, Jan. 6. Will go. This number represents an increase of 6% over the previous year.
A government shutdown This could begin as soon as the Saturday holiday approaches, affecting flights and airport operations immediately, but that could change if the shutdown drags on.
David Zalubowski/AP
What will be the busiest travel days?
Airlines expect Friday and Sunday and December 26, December 27 and December 29 to be their busiest days. Flight traffic is expected to be low on both Christmas Day and New Year's Day. The slowest US air-travel day this year – by a wide margin – was Thanksgiving Day.
Transportation Security Administration Screening of 40 million passengers is expected during the holidays and till January 2.
According to AAA, nearly 90% of Americans traveling away from home for the holidays will be in cars.
“Air travel is very high right now, but most people drive to their destinations and that's true for every vacation,” said AAA spokeswoman Aixa Diaz.
Gasoline prices are the same as last year. The nationwide average was $3.05 a gallon Thursday, down from $3.08 a year ago, according to AAA. Charging an electric vehicle averages less than 35 cents per kilowatt hour, but varies by state.
Transportation-data firm INRIX says travel times on the country's highways could be 30% longer than normal during the holidays, with Sunday expected to see the heaviest traffic. According to the company, Boston, New York City, Seattle and Washington, DC, are the major metropolitan areas experiencing the most delays.
Weather and other wildcards
Because the holiday travel period lasts for weeks, airports and airlines typically have less off-peak days during the rush around Thanksgiving, but the hassle of one busy day followed by another takes a toll on flight crews. And any disruption — a winter storm or a computer glitch — could cause widespread disruption.
how is that Southwest Airlines stranded 2 million passengers in December 2022, And Delta Air Lines suffered a small but significant slowdown due to technical outages worldwide in July faulty software update From cyber security company CrowdStrike.
Many flights sell out during holidays, making cancellations even more disruptive than during slower periods. This is especially true for smaller budget airlines that have fewer flights and fewer options for passengers to rebook. Only the largest airlines, including American, Delta and United, have “interline agreements” that allow them to put stranded customers on another carrier's flights.
This will be the first holiday season since a Transportation Department rule took effect that requires airlines to give customers automatic cash refunds for canceled or significantly delayed flights. Most air travelers were already eligible for a refund, but they often had to request it.
Passengers can still ask to rebook, which is often a better option than a refund during peak travel periods. This is because finding a flight from another airline at the last minute is very expensive.
“When they rebook you, they'll pay the difference in fare. If my flight to visit grandma, which I booked six months ago for $200, gets canceled, and I come back and If I book a four-hour flight from now for $400, I'll have to pay that difference,” said Sally French, a travel expert at consumer-affairs company NerdWallet.
People traveling on budget airlines with fewer flights and no partnerships with other carriers may face a difficult choice in the event of a canceled flight.
“They'll put you on the next outgoing Spirit or Frontier flight, but it may still take a while. Sometimes waiting three days for the next flight won't work for you,” and paying more to rebook. will be. a major airline Could be worthwhile, French said.
Some airlines are taking advantage of a provision of the new Transportation Department rule that defines a significant delay as three hours for a domestic flight and six hours for an international flight. According to Brett Snyder, who runs the website Cranky Flyer, airlines that previously issued refunds for short delays — Delta, United and JetBlue, for example — are now using the government standard.
Delays in flights increase the risk of losing bags. Passengers whose bag gets separated should inform the airline and ask what the airline will cover.
Will flights and airports be affected by the government shutdown?
Government shutdown could occur if Congress doesn't pass funding bill Midnight Friday deadline. Most TSA employees at airports, air traffic controllers and customs agents are considered essential and would have to work without pay in the event of a shutdown.
The longer the shutdown lasts, the more workers without compensation could call in sick, leading to long security lines and other delays. It seemed like this for weeks in a government shutdown Which started in December 2019.
About 59,000 of TSA's 62,000 employees are considered essential Will continue to work without pay during the shutdownthe TSA said in an email to CBS News. But the agency warned that the shutdown could cause delays at airports during the holiday season.
“While our personnel have prepared to handle the large number of travelers and ensure safe travel, the extended shutdown could mean longer wait times at airports,” TSA spokesperson Carter Langston said in a statement. “
AAA advises travelers “to continue with their vacation plans even if a shutdown goes into effect,” spokeswoman Diaz said. “Airport operations will continue as normal, but perhaps a little slower than normal, so passengers should be aware of that.”
Planning ahead to 2025
Airline fares rose 4.7% in November from a year earlier, according to US government data. But the beginning of 2025 is a good time to start planning next year's trips, including spring break and summer vacations.
“Since travel is so popular, you won't find anything that looks too shabby, but January and February are great times to make plans for March, April and May,” says Laura Motta, editor of travel-guide publisher Lonely. ” Planet, said. “If you want to go to Paris in the spring, you have to think about it in January.”
Mike Stewart/AP