Auto Rental News
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

AAA Predicts 116M Travelers This Holiday Season

The forecast is the most in nearly 20 years, and represents an increase of 3.9% over last year, or 4.3 million more people packing up their sleighs for a holiday getaway.

December 18, 2019
AAA Predicts 116M Travelers This Holiday Season

For the 104.8 million Americans traveling by automobile, INRIX, in collaboration with AAA, predicts only marginal delays throughout the holiday week.

Photo via Brendan C/Flickr.

2 min to read


More Americans than ever on record, or 115.6 million, will travel this holiday season, from Dec. 21 through Jan. 1.

That is the most in nearly 20 years since AAA began tracking in 2000, and represents an increase of 3.9% over last year, or 4.3 million more people packing up their sleighs for a holiday getaway. More than 104 million of those holiday travelers will drive to their destinations and, INRIX, a global transportation analytics company, expects delays to be the worst on Dec. 26, with afternoon delays reaching nearly double congestion-free drive times in major U.S. cities.

Ad Loading...

Travelers will need to budget more for car rentals this holiday season. According to AAA’s Leisure Travel Index, the daily average rental rate this Christmas and New Year’s will reach $84, 11% more than last year and the highest price in 10 years. AAA Three Diamond hotel prices have increased 1% to $153, while AAA Two Diamond hotels will average $119, 2% less than last year.

  • Automobiles: 104.8 million Americans, the most on record, will drive to their holiday destinations. That means 3.9 million more people are expected on the roads compared with last year, for an increase of 3.9%.

  • Planes: With 4.9% growth, air travel will see the biggest increase in travel volume during the year-end holidays, with 6.97 million Americans expected to fly – the most since 2003.

  • Trains, Buses and Cruise Ships: Travel by these other modes will reach 3.81 million, 3% more than last year.

For the 104.8 million Americans traveling by automobile, INRIX, in collaboration with AAA, predicts only marginal delays throughout the holiday week. Nationally, drivers could experience double the travel times on Thursday and Friday afternoon, although New York City and Washington, D.C. could see triple the delays.

Screenshot via AAA.

A recent analysis of AAA’s flight booking data revealed that most travelers depart two to four days prior to the Christmas holiday, Dec. 21-23, with the 22nd being the single busiest air travel day of the holiday week. These travelers, on average, pay ticket prices between $593 and $639. Christmas Eve is the best day to travel, with the lowest average price per ticket ($527) and the fewest crowds of the holiday week.

Many travelers opt to fly after the Christmas holiday leading up to New Year’s, and they pay a premium to do so. Dec. 26 has the highest average ticket price of the week at $692.

More Rental Operations

Globe image with Text: GBTA Business Travel Forecast

Car Rental Rates Forecast to Rise 3.6% in 2026 Before Easing in 2027

Car rental rates are projected to rise less than airfares and hotel rates in 2026, then become the only major travel category forecast to decline in 2027, according to projections from GBTA and ALTOUR.

Read More →
Car rental sign with financial graph in background
Rental Operationsby Chris BrownAugust 2, 2026

Avis Cuts Fleet as Summer Demand Trails Expectations

Avis Budget Group increased second-quarter earnings despite lower Americas revenue and softer-than-expected summer demand. The company also expanded Avis First and advanced its autonomous fleet operations with Waymo.

Read More →
car rental booking engine on computer screen with text: Bookings aren't the whole story
Rental OperationsAugust 1, 2026

Why Bookings Are Only the Start of the Rental Day

A reservation captures demand. The operating test is whether the business can keep the customer, vehicle, commercial terms, and next action aligned until the rental is closed.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Rental Operationsby Chris BrownJuly 31, 2026

This Is the Oldest Car Rental Advertisement You’ll Ever See

This ad for Saunders Drive it Yourself, believed to be the first car rental company in the U.S., was found in an Omaha phone book from 1926.

Read More →
A counter agent chats with a customer over a rental counter
Rental OperationsJuly 21, 2026

The Desk Upsell Is Costing Operators More Than it Earns

Counter upsells generate revenue, but they can also slow transactions, erode trust, and cost repeat business. Fully inclusive pricing may offer operators a better path to long-term value.

Read More →
U-Save Mauritius team

U-Save Expands Indian Ocean Presence with New Master Franchise for Mauritius

The franchise has been acquired by Mauritian travel entrepreneur Umarfarooq Omarjee, an established figure in the island's tourism and mobility sector.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Back view of a remote driver in front of a screen delivering a car to a location.

Global Carsharing Fleet Projected to Reach 768,000 Vehicles By 2030

A new Berg Insight forecast outlines several business models driving the projected growth in public carsharing worldwide through 2029.

Read More →
green and blue bar graphs compare fleet sales June 2025 versus June 2026
Fleet Acquisitionby Martin RomjueJuly 8, 2026

Rental Car Fleet Sales Show Mid-Year Strength

June gains ensured rental fleets closed out the first half of 2026 in positive territory.

Read More →
Close up of a row of white CUVs in the Surprice Mobility fleet at the Milan airport.

Surprice Mobility Opens Corporate Rental Station at Milan Malpensa Airport

The Milan opening is part of Surprice Mobility's broader strategy to expand its corporate operations while increasing the use of technology across its network.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Julian Gritsch with an MBA class in a classroom.

Brazilian Executive MBA Targets Growing Domestic Rental Car Industry

Rental car companies face a unique combination of challenges that are rarely addressed in traditional programs.

Read More →
Ad Loading...