AAA expects 30% fewer holiday travelers between Dec. 23 and Jan. 3, due to COVID concerns
still set pandemic records for passenger screenings, passing the 1-million mark for the first time since this spring.
“While Thanksgiving is traditionally spent gathering with friends and family, the year-end holidays are when Americans often venture out for longer, more elaborate vacations. That will not be the case this year,” said Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel. “Public health concerns, official guidance not to travel, and an overall decline in consumer sentiment have encouraged the vast majority of Americans to stay home for the holidays.”
CDC asked Americans to avoid traveling over the holidays, repeating its guidance from Thanksgiving.
“The best thing for Americans to do in the upcoming holiday season is to stay at home and not travel,” Dr. Henry Walke, the CDC’s COVID-19 incident manager, said in a news briefing Wednesday.
“Cases are rising. Hospitalizations are increasing, Deaths are increasing. We need to try to bend the curve, stop this exponential increase.”
Check COVID-19 travel restrictions by state
AAA also recommends you call your hotel to confirm they are still open to residents from other states and ask what safety precautions are being taken.
The same goes for rental car companies. You can call the location where you plan to rent your car and ask what is being done to clean vehicles between uses.
Avoid certain roads at these times
And although road traffic will be down considerably, that doesn’t mean that there won’t be bottlenecks in and out of major metropolitan areas.
Traffic analysis firm INRIX advises that drivers avoid traveling these stretches of road at these times:
Atlanta
Road: I-75 North (Arthur K Bolton Pkwy to I-675)
Peak congestion period: Dec. 26, 3:45 p.m.
Peak delay: 32 minutes
Boston
Road: MA-3 (Derby St to I-93)
Peak congestion period: Dec. 26, 3 p.m.
Peak delay: 17 minutes
Chicago
Road: I-290 East (Mannheim Rd to Morgan St)
Peak congestion period: Dec. 30, 4 p.m.
Peak delay: 18 minutes
Detroit
Road: US-23 North (8 Mile Rd to I-96)
Peak congestion period: Dec. 23, 11:45 a.m.
Peak delay: 15 minutes
Houston
Road: I-10 West (Sjolander Rd to Crosby Lynchburg Rd)
Peak congestion period: Dec. 26, 3:45 p.m.
Peak delay: 6 minutes
Los Angeles
Road: -5 South (Colorado St to I-605)
Peak congestion period: Dec. 29, 5:15 p.m.
Peak delay: 30 minutes
New York
Road: I-95 South (I-678 to GW Bridge)
Peak congestion period: Dec. 30, 4:30 p.m.
Peak delay: 45 minutes
San Francisco
Road: US-101 North (Golden Gate to I-580)
Peak congestion period: Dec. 23, 5 p.m.
Peak delay: 16 minutes
Seattle
Road: I-5 South (WA-18 to Portland Ave)
Peak congestion period: Dec. 30, 4:15 p.m.
Peak delay: 22 minutes
Washington, D.C.
Road: I-95 South (I-495 to VA-123)
Peak congestion period: Dec. 28, 11:30 a.m.
Peak delay: 31 minutes
The good news for travelers loading up their cars with presents: Gas prices are down by nearly 20% from 2019 averages.
“Typically, cheaper gas prices are an incentive for last minute trips, especially around the holidays,” said Jeanette Casselano McGee, a AAA spokesperson. “But the lower prices and less traffic aren’t driving decisions to hit the road. Americans are looking to the public health landscape, including COVID-19 case numbers, to make their travel decisions.”
