Motor club AAA projects more than 3.7 million Georgians will hit the road over the year-end holidays, with a record number traveling 50 miles or more from Saturday, Dec. 21 through Wednesday, Jan. 1.
The auto group says that’s 108,677 more travelers than the previous record set last year in 2023.
On a national level, AAA expects 3 million more travelers than last year, projecting an estimated 119.3 million people going 50 miles or more, surpassing the previous record set in 2019 (64,000 travelers).
“Travelers should expect the roads, airports and cruise terminals to be more crowded than normal,” Vice President of Travel for AAA Debbie Haas said. “So, finalize your travel plans now and give yourself extra time to get to your destination. We also suggest travel insurance, which provides assistance in the event winter weather or something unexpected interferes with your plans.”
Factors AAA believes drive this year’s travel forecast include:
- Travel volume is being driven by consumer spending as inflation continues to moderate.
- Strong employment continues to drive rising wages, and with inflation leveling off, consumers are expected to spend nearly 5% more than last year as incomes rise at a similar level.
- Economic growth continues to remain steady, with Q4 real GDP growth expected at 2.0% in Q4 compared to last year.
