NYC Holiday Travel 2017: Best, Worst Times To Leave Town

NEW YORK, NY — A record number of travelers will hit America's roads, tracks and airports during the winter holiday season, according to the American Auto Association. About 107 million people will travel in the last few weeks of 2017, marking the highest year-end travel volume on record.

This year marks the ninth straight increase in holiday travel. The numbers have risen for every major holiday weekend this year and AAA expects the same for the December holiday season.

"We've seen the strong economy and growing consumer confidence fuel holiday travel all year long," AAA senior vice president Bill Sutherland said in a press release.

A majority of travelers will be hitting the roads to get to their destinations. AAA, which partnered with transportation analytics company INRIX, predicts travel times during the holiday week could be as much as three times longer than the normal trip.

The worst day to drive out of town has already passed. It won't get worse than Wednesday, Dec. 20 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., according to AAA's data.

If you're traveling by plane, Friday, Dec. 22 and Saturday, Dec. 23 are among the worst days to travel ahead of Christmas, according to U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics data compiled by Elite Fixtures. Some 34 percent of flights on those days are delayed, with the average being 59 minutes late.

But things won't be so bad on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Only 18 percent of flights experience delays averaging 53 minutes on Dec. 25, while 22 percent of flights see delays averaging 58 minutes on Dec. 24.

The New York City area is home to one of the best and one of the worst airports for holiday travel, Elite Fixtures found. LaGuardia Airport ranks eighth on the list of the best airports — just 23 percent of flights there see delays averaging 65 minutes, and 2 percent of flights are canceled.

Newark Liberty Airport, on the other hand, is No. 7 on the list of the 10 worst airports. Some 34 percent of flights there see delays averaging 63 minutes, while 2.4 percent of flights are canceled.

Whichever airport you pick, the Transportation Security Administration recommends arriving two hours before departure for domestic flights and three hours before departure for international flights.

The TSA expects to screen more than 40 million passengers and crew nationwide through Jan. 2. Here are some tips from the agency on how to get through security smoothly:

• Prepare for new screening procedures – The TSA is implementing new screening procedures which require passengers to remove electronic devices larger than a cell phone from carry-on baggage. The TSA also recommends placing food items in bins for easier screening. Pack your carry-ons accordingly by putting items like electronics, toiletries and food in easily accessible places.
• Enroll in a trusted traveler program – Trusted traveler programs like TSA Pre✓® and CLEAR provide passengers an easy alternative to standard screening procedures and speed-up the security screening process. If traveling abroad, consider enrolling in Global Entry or using Mobile Passport to expedite Customs processing upon your return.
• Follow the 3-1-1 liquids rule — Any liquids you take on the plane must be in 3.4 ounce containers in a single clear plastic bag. Only one bag per person is allowed.
• Take off your shoes — Remember to remove your shoes as required before going through the checkpoint. Shoes have to go through the x-ray machine.

Feroze Dhanoa contributed reporting.

(Lead image: People walk through LaGuardia Airport on Nov. 22, the day before Thanksgiving. Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)