AAA: More than 16.5 million Californians Projected to Travel this Holiday

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. – In California, more than 16.5 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home over the 13-day year-end holiday period beginning December 20 and ending January 1, an increase of more than 445,000 compared with 2024’s numbers.

AAA projects nationwide 122.4 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home in that period. This year’s forecast is a 2.2% increase over 2024, surpassing last year’s record of 119.7 million travelers.

“Year-end travel is a mix of family road trips, friend getaways, and tropical vacations,” said Doug Johnson, spokesperson for AAA Northern California. “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.”

AAA urges drivers to prioritize safety this holiday season

December is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month which serves as a timely reminder to make safe choices and stay vigilant.

• Make a plan. AAA and MADD encourage travelers to plan safe rides home during one of the most dangerous times of year on the road.
• Get home safely. Drivers should be alert at all times, ensure everyone is buckled up, and should pull off to the side of the road if they become fatigued.
• Get your vehicle checked before hitting the road. The most common calls for services were for issues with dead batteries, flat tires, and empty fuel tanks.
• AAA to the rescue. During last year’s year-end holiday period, AAA responded to more than 71,000 emergency roadside assistance calls to help stranded drivers in Northern California.
• “Slow Down, Move Over” for stopped vehicles.  AAA Mountain West Group has invested heavily in new safety technology to keep our road service providers safe but we need your help. Slow Down, Move Over means when you see stopped vehicles on the side of the road, reduce your speed and change lanes.

Year-End Travelers by Mode of Transportation

By Car: Nationwide this year, 89% of holiday travelers will take road trips. In California, the average cost per gallon of regular gasoline is $4.43, 8 cents higher than this time last year. In California, 14.5 million will be traveling by car, compared with 14.1 million last year. Nationwide AAA projects 109.5 million people will travel by car for their year-end trips, an increase of 2% compared to last year. For the first time in 4 years, the national average dropped below $3 a gallon this month, and prices could continue dropping as 2025 comes to a close, making them lower compared to the last holiday season when the national average was $3.04.

By Air: In California, more than 1.5 million travelers plan to fly. Nationwide, AAA projects a record 8.03 million travelers taking domestic flights this holiday season, a 2.3% increase compared to last year. This will be the first time on record that the number of domestic air travelers over the year-end holiday period exceeds 8 million.

By Other Modes: In California, more than 542 thousand people will be traveling by bus, train, or cruise. Travel by other modes nationwide is expected to go up by 9% with 4.9 million people traveling by other means. This category has seen a 25% increase since 2019, mainly due to the record-setting demand for cruises post-pandemic.

About AAA Mountain West Group

AAA Mountain West Group is a membership and full-service leisure travel organization, proudly serving over 6.8 million Members across Alaska, Arizona, Nevada, Northern California, Montana, and Utah. AAA delivers unmatched expertise and value through roadside assistance and electric vehicle (EV) resources, along with comprehensive auto repair, travel, insurance, financial, and home security services. Powered by 5,300 dedicated Team Members, AAA is on a mission to revolutionize solutions that help our Members.

Related

• Dec 12 – AAA: As Holidays Approach, Gas Prices in California Cool Down
• Nov 18 – AAA: Nearly 82 Million Americans Projected to Travel over Thanksgiving