Sonora, CA — AAA reports that this is one of the busiest holiday travel periods that has been tracked in the past 20 years.
Nationwide, combining the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, 115 million people are anticipated to travel over 50 miles, including 15.4 million Californians. Nationwide, it is 2.2% higher than a year ago, and in California, beats the previous record set in 2019 by 2.6%.
Brian Ng, a Senior VP for AAA Northern California, says, “The travel outline for the year-end holidays echoes what we’ve been seeing in travel throughout 2023. Despite high costs, more Americans are prioritizing creating memories with loved ones and exploring new destinations.”
Falling gas prices over recent months, and clear weather conditions, are also helping to boost travel numbers over the 2023 holiday season. However, the clear skies and lack of precipitation have been disappointing for ski resorts in the state.
Nationwide, 103 million people are traveling by automobile, 7.5 million by plane, and 4 million by other modes of transportation.
Written by BJ Hansen.
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