Brace yourself if you’re heading out: Record number of travelers are likely to be on the move for the holidays

The mad dash to get away for the holidays is on, with Americans expected to set a record this season as they take to the roads, skies and rails over the next two weeks.

An estimated 119.3 million people will likely travel 50 miles or farther, which would be on par with pre-pandemic levels and surpass the high mark set in 2019, according to the national AAA.

“Minnesotans should expect the roads, airports and public transportation to be busier than normal as people take special vacations, visit loved ones and hit the road for holiday plans,” said Brynna Knapp, spokeswoman for AAA Minnesota.

The crush started Friday — and with weekends on either side of this season’s midweek holidays, it is expected to spill over into the first few days of the New Year.

That much was evident Friday at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, where more than 45,000 travelers were expected to pass through security checkpoints, making it the airport’s busiest day ahead of Christmas Day, said Jeff Lea, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC).

“We have had a lot of vibrant activity today,” Lea said. “We got the snow out of the way.”

The airport on Friday reported receiving a total of 5.5 inches of snow during the storm Thursday when scores of flights were delayed. As of 3 p.m. Friday, six flights had been canceled and 102 arrivals or departures delayed, according to the airport’s website.

By midafternoon Friday, wait times at Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening points were less than 15 minutes, according to the website. The longest lines were at ticket counters as travelers waited to check in luggage, Lea said.

The airport’s parking ramps had plenty of room Friday afternoon: Only 36% of spots were claimed at Terminal 1 and 52% at Terminal 2, according to the website.

But Lea said holiday travelers should still plan to arrive two hours early, as more than 40,000 passengers will line up for screening each day over the weekend.

The day after Christmas is expected to be the busiest when up to 50,000 flyers are expected, he said.

Airport officials expect 725,000 travelers to pass through security through Jan. 6, a 9% increase over last year, said Brian Ryks, MAC executive director and CEO.

Nationally, the TSA said it expects to screen 40 million travelers from Thursday through Jan. 2, a 6.2% increase over 2023. The busiest days are expected to be next Friday and Dec. 30.

“Hopefully, the weather cooperates and everybody can get on their way,” Ryks said during a MAC meeting this week.

Most travelers by far will drive to their destination, and AAA expects 2.5 million more motorists nationwide on the roads this year compared with 2023.

With 107 million going by car, travelers should brace for congestion and longer trips, and expect the worst traffic in metro areas on Sunday, said Bob Pishue of the traffic analytics firm INRIX.

Midday travel could also be tough going, Pishue said. He advised motorists to hit the road either before lunchtime or after 7 p.m.

“If schedules allow, leave bright and early or after the evening commute,” he said.

The best days to drive? Christmas and New Year’s Day.

While roads will be busy, drivers will find gas selling at or below $3 a gallon in most of the Midwest, including Minnesota, where the average price was $2.87 on Friday morning. That’s about the same as last year, according to a AAA nationwide survey of gas stations.

Amtrak does not ordinarily do projections for the holidays, spokesman Marc Magliari said. But the train is riding a wave of popularity. From October 2023 through September, a record 32.8 million passengers climbed on board, up 15% from the previous fiscal year, Amtrak said this month.

Trains, buses and cruises combined are expected to transport 4.47 million people during the 10-day holiday period, the most in 20 years, AAA said.

The bottom line: No matter the mode, travelers will have a lot of company this year.