JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Gearing up for the holidays: Nearly 110 million people are expected to travel between Dec. 23 and Jan. 2, according to AAA.
The Auto Club Group says that’s almost 34% more travelers than last year.
In fact, according to AAA, it’s nearly 28 million more travelers than the 2020 holiday period. That is close to the record number in 2019.
Most people plan to travel by car this year. AAA says just over 100 million say they’ll drive to their destination, despite gas being $1.13 per gallon more than a year ago. Airlines are expected to see a 184% increase from last year, with more than 6 million planning to fly. And almost 3 million plan to get there by bus, train or cruise.
FULL REPORT: AAA 2021year-end travel forecast
Florida figures also show a strong rebound in travel compared to last year. AAA says nearly 6 million Floridians plan to travel at least 50 miles between Dec. 23 and Jan. 2 — 1.5 million (35%) more than last year.
If you are planning to hit the road, according to AAA, the worst time to hit the road is from noon to 6 p.m. Dec. 23 or from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 24 — Christmas Eve. The best time to travel is any time on Dec. 25 — Christmas Day.
As for the top travel destinations, according to AAA, Orlando is No. 1. Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa also made the top 10.