Busiest Travel Day Is Here Between Christmas And New Year’s: What To Know In VA

Northern Virginia residents traveling for the holidays can expect to encounter record crowds on the roads and in airports during what’s projected to be a record end-of-the-year travel season.

AAA projects 122.4 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home over the 13-day year-end holiday period beginning Saturday and continuing through Jan. 1. That’s a 2.2 percent increase from last year’s record of 119.7 million travelers.

More than 109.5 million Americans, 2 percent more than last year, are expected to take road trips. Another 8.03 million will take domestic flights during the holiday travel period. That’s up 2.3 percent from last year.

In Virginia, 3.41 million will travel at least 50 miles during the Christmas holiday period, AAA projects. That's the highest number projected for Virginia since AAA started its forecast in 2001. Of those, 3.02 million will travel by car, over 186,000 will take flights and over 198,000 will use other means like trains, cruises and buses. This year, projections for cruise, train and bus travelers surpass air travelers, as AAA notes a surge in cruise popularity. In addition, Amtrak has also seen record ridership across the U.S.

The 89 percent of holiday travelers hitting the road will generally pay less for gas than they did last year, when the national average was around $3.04 a gallon. The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline on Thursday was $2.89, according to AAA. In Virginia, regular gas was selling for an average of $2.76 a gallon on Thursday, while the Northern Virginia region's average was $2.80.

AAA said this is the first time in four years that the national average for gasoline dropped below $3 a gallon, and that prices could continue to drop as 2025 draws to a close.

INRIX, a transportation data company, expects travel during Christmas week to be busier than during New Year’s week, but said traffic will be heavier than normal throughout the 13-day period.

If possible, Virginia travelers should avoid northbound Baltimore-Washington Parkway from Washington, D.C. to Baltimore around 4:15 p.m. on Saturday. The estimated travel time between the cities is one hour and 43 minutes, a 133 percent increase from the typical traffic.

In general, these are the worst and best times to travel during the holiday period:

• Saturday, Dec 20: noon-8 p.m. (worst); after 9 p.m. (best)
• Sunday, Dec. 21: 1-7 p.m. (worst); before 11 a.m. (best)
• Monday, Dec. 22: 1-7 p.m. (worst); before 10 a.m. (best)
• Tuesday, Dec. 23: 1-7 p.m. (worst); before 10 a.m. (best)
• Wednesday, Dec 24: Minimal traffic impact expected
• Thursday, Dec 25: Minimal traffic impact expected
• Friday, Dec. 26: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. (worst); before 11 a.m. (best)
• Saturday, Dec. 27: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. (worst); before 11 a.m. (best)
• Sunday, Dec. 28: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. (worst); before 11 a.m. (best)
• Monday, Dec. 29: noon-8 p.m. (worst); before 10 a.m. (best)
• Tuesday, Dec. 30: noon-7 p.m. (worst); before 10 a.m. (best)
• Wednesday, Dec. 31: minimal traffic impact expected
• Thursday, Jan. 1: minimal traffic impact expected

The Virginia Department of Transportation will lift many highway work zones and temporary lane closures on the state's interstates and other major roads from noon on Dec. 24 to noon on Dec. 26, as well as from noon on Dec. 31 to noon on Jan. 2.

VDOT does not predict the worst travel times, but provides maps of historical traffic patterns on Virginia's major roads around Christmas and New Year's.

Real-time traffic information is available through Virginia's 511 and by calling 511 within Virginia. Visit the Express Lanes website for details on the directional schedules for the reversible Interstate 95 and 395 Express Lanes.

Get To The Airport Early

AAA expects 2025 to be the first time on record that the number of domestic air travelers over the year-end holiday period exceeds 8 million.

According to AAA data, which is based on what travelers paid when they booked their holiday trips, a roundtrip domestic flight is 7 percent more expensive this year, averaging nearly $900 a ticket. The days leading up to Christmas Day are the most expensive, while flying on the holiday itself is cheaper.

New Year’s flights are also pricey, with many people returning home on New Year’s Day or even squeezing one extra weekend out of the holiday season and coming back on Sunday, Jan. 4.

Travelers should be prepared for long security lines at Dulles International Airport and Reagan National Airport.

It’s a good idea to arrive two or three hours early on busy days like Dec. 20-21 and Dec. 27-28. Delays are always a possibility, so use airline apps for updates.

Lines could be longest at major U.S. hubs like JFK, LAX, MIA, SFO, DFW and SEA, especially this weekend and the day after Christmas as people head to warm spots with the family.

"Eight of the ten busiest days at security checkpoints in the Transportation Security Administration’s 24-year history have happened this year," said Morgan Dean, an AAA spokesperson in Virginia. "The Sunday after Thanksgiving now holds the record with more than 3.13 million travelers processed."

The top 10 domestic travel destinations this holiday season are:

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

Top international destinations 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