PENNSYLVANIA, USA — AAA expects more than 115 million people will travel somewhere for the holidays, making this year the second highest on record.
The message from the pros is: Plan ahead.
"Holiday travelers are going to mix with folks doing their last-minute holiday shopping, whether it be at the mall or the grocery store," said Jana Tidwell with AAA public affairs.
Tidwell says airports are expected to be busier than ever, with 7.5 million people expected to fly.
Tidwell recommends getting there even earlier than normal to avoid hold-ups.
"Also, the potential traffic you could hit on your way to the airport, factor all of that in. Also, sign up for notifications from your airline ahead of time so if there are delays or cancellations for any reason, you are notified as soon as possible," explained Tidwell.
AAA says the pent-up travel demand comes from the pandemic when a lot of people skipped out on holidays with family.
"With everything that so many people missed out on during the pandemic, many people are not willing to sacrifice those experiences anymore; they want to be with family and friends, and they appreciate the importance of being together for the holidays," said Tidwell.
Saturday will be the busiest day on the road. If you're hitting the road, the best time to leave is before 10 a.m.
For the drive home, minimal traffic is expected on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.
You can check real-time traffic conditions with the WNEP Traffic Tracker.
PennDOT updates are available HERE.