“Prepping for a Record-Breaking Holiday Travel Season!”

Motorists and airline travelers lacking reindeer and sleighs ought to make a hurry: it’s starting to resemble another record for holiday journeys in the U.S.

Traffic in the Triangle area was congested Friday afternoon after an automobile ignited along Interstate 40 in Johnston County, temporarily shutting down lanes near Clayton.

The automobile association AAA anticipates that over 119 million individuals will travel at least 50 miles from their homes between Saturday and New Year’s Day, surpassing the prior holiday-season peak recorded in 2019. The two weekends surrounding Christmas appear to be among the busiest on the roads and at airports.

The aviation organization Airlines for America also predicts unprecedented travel, stating that it expects U.S. airlines to accommodate 54 million passengers during a 19-day timeframe that began Thursday and wraps up on Monday, Jan. 6. This figure would signify a 6% rise compared to last year.

A potential government shutdown that might commence as early as Saturday could be too proximate to the holidays to immediately impact flights and airport activities, though this may change if a shutdown continues for an extended period.

Carriers foresee their most hectic days occurring on Friday and Sunday, in addition to Dec. 26, Dec. 27, and Dec. 29. Flight traffic is anticipated to be minimal on both Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. This year, the least busy U.S. air travel day — by a substantial margin — was Thanksgiving Day.

The Transportation Security Administration is bracing to screen 40 million travelers throughout the holidays and up to January 2.

Approximately 90% of Americans journeying far from home during the holidays will be using automobiles, as per AAA.

“Airline travel is exceptionally high right now, but the majority of people do drive to their destinations, and this holds true for every holiday,” AAA representative Aixa Diaz remarked.

Fuel prices are comparable to last year. The national average on Thursday was $3.05 per gallon, a decrease from $3.08 a year earlier, based on AAA statistics. The average cost of charging an electric vehicle is just beneath 35 cents per kilowatt hour, though it varies by region.

Travel-data firm INRIX indicates travel durations on the nation’s highways could be up to 30% lengthier than usual during the holidays, with Sunday expected to witness the most substantial traffic. Cities such as Boston, New York City, Seattle, and Washington, D.C., are the urban areas anticipated to experience the greatest delays, as reported by the firm.

Due to the extended nature of the holiday travel season, airports and airlines generally experience fewer peak days compared to the rush around Thanksgiving; however, the succession of hectic days can take a toll on flight crews. Any setbacks — a winter storm or a system malfunction — can escalate into significant disruptions.

This is how Southwest Airlines left 2 million travelers stranded in December 2022, and Delta Air Lines encountered a smaller but considerable breakdown following a global tech failure in July triggered by a flawed software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike.

A multitude of flights during the holiday period are fully booked, rendering cancellations even more troublesome than during slower times. This is particularly relevant for smaller low-cost carriers that offer fewer flights and a limited number of rebooking options. Only the largest airlines, such as American, Delta, and United, maintain “interline agreements” that allow them to place stranded passengers on flights operated by other carriers.

This holiday season marks the first since a Transportation Department regulation was enacted, mandating airlines to automatically refund customers with cash for canceled or significantly delayed flights. While most air travelers were previously eligible for refunds, they often had to initiate the requests themselves.

Passengers can still request rebooking, which generally is a more favorable option than a refund during peak travel periods. This is because securing a last-minute flight with another airline on one’s own is usually quite costly.

“When they rebook you, they will cover the fare difference. If my flight to see grandma that I reserved six months ago for $200 gets canceled, and I immediately book a flight leaving in four hours for $400, I am responsible for that fare difference,” explained Sally French, a travel analyst at the consumer advocacy firm Nerdwallet.

Travelers using budget airlines with fewer routes and no collaborations with other carriers may confront a tough decision in the case of a flight cancellation.

“They will place you on the next available Spirit or Frontier flight, but that could mean a long wait. Sometimes waiting three days for the next flight isn’t feasible,” and paying extra to rebook on a major airline might be worthwhile, French added.

Some carriers are utilizing a provision in the new Transportation Department regulation that defines a significant delay as three hours for a domestic flight and six hours for an international one. According to Brett Snyder, who operates the Cranky Flyer website, airlines that formerly offered refunds for shorter delays — such as Delta, United, and JetBlue — are now applying the government’s definition.

Delayed flights heighten the possibility of lost luggage. Passengers who become separated from their checked bags should report the issue to their airline and inquire about what the airline will cover. Links to the customer service policies of major U.S. airlines can be found at the end of this page.

A government shutdown could take place if Congress fails to approve a funding bill by the midnight deadline on Friday. Most TSA personnel at airports, air traffic controllers, and customs officials are regarded as essential and would be required to work without pay during a shutdown.

A growing number of unpaid employees may call in sick the longer a shutdown continues, which could lead to extended security lines and other delays. This was evident several weeks into a shutdown that began in December 2019.

“While our staff has prepared to manage high volumes of travelers and ensure safe transit, a prolonged shutdown could result in increased wait times at airports,” TSA spokesperson Carter Langston stated in a release.

AAA recommends that travelers “proceed with their holiday arrangements, even if a shutdown occurs,” as expressed by spokesperson Diaz. “Airport operations will remain normal, although they might operate slightly slower than usual, so travelers should be cognizant of this.”

Airline fares rose by 4.7% in November compared to the previous year, as per U.S. government data. However, early 2025 is a prime time to begin planning for next year’s trips, including spring breaks and summer vacations.

“Due to travel’s popularity, you won’t find deals that seem rock-bottom, but January and February are excellent months to plan for March, April, and May,” noted Laura Motta, an editor at travel guide publisher Lonely Planet. “If you wish to visit Paris in the spring, you should start considering it in January.”

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AP Journalists Mae Anderson in Nashville, Tennessee, and Mike Pesoli in Washington, D.C., contributed to this article.