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Record Year-End Travel Rush Kicks Off as Roads and Airports Fill Up

Airlines are adding 72,000 seats a day to absorb holiday demand.

Travelers wait in line at a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) in Dallas, Texas, US, on Monday, Oct. 20, 2025. US air travel is starting to show signs of strain as lawmakers remain divided over a government shutdown that has stretched into its third week. Photographer: Shelby Tauber/Bloomberg via Getty Images
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Overview

  • AAA projects 122.4 million Americans will travel from Dec. 20 to Jan. 1, topping last year by 2.2%.
  • About 109.5 million people are expected to drive, boosted by gas prices dipping below $3 per gallon.
  • U.S. airlines anticipate 52.6 million passengers for the season, with roughly 2.9 million flyers per day and peak days on Dec. 19–21, Dec. 26, and Dec. 28.
  • DFW expects nearly 5 million travelers through Jan. 6, has opened a new right‑hand access to Terminal A, and warns of ongoing congestion around Terminal C.
  • Airports advise arriving at least two hours before domestic flights and three hours for international, using transit or prebooked parking, and watching for travel-rebooking scams.