4.5 million Ohioans about to hit the road

VW independent staff/submitted information

AAA projects 122.4 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home over the 13-day year-end holiday period beginning Saturday, December 20 and ending Thursday, January 1. This year’s forecast is a 2.2 percent increase over 2024, surpassing last year’s record of 119.7 million travelers. More than 5 million Ohioans are predicted to travel during the holiday season, up 2.5 percent from the same time period last year.

AAA projects 109.5 million Americans will travel by car for their year-end trips, an increase of two percent compared to last year. Driving is the overwhelming favorite among all modes of transportation because of its convenience and low cost. This year, 89 percent of holiday travelers will take road trips. In Ohio, more than 4.5 million are expected to hit the roads.

Gas prices are lower compared to last holiday season when the national average was $3.04 to end 2024. For the first time in four years, the national average dropped below $3 a gallon this month, and prices could continue dropping as 2025 comes to a close. Ohio’s gas price average of $2.67 is 16 cents cheaper than a year ago.

AAA projects a record 8.03 million travelers taking domestic flights this holiday season, a 2.3 percent increase compared to last year. This will be the first time on record that the number of domestic air travelers over the year-end holiday period exceeds 8 million. More than 283,000 Ohioans are expected to take to the skies for year-end trips this year; a two percent increase over last year.

According to AAA data, which is based on what travelers paid when they booked their holiday trips, a roundtrip domestic flight is seven percent more expensive this year, averaging nearly $900 a ticket. The days leading up to Christmas Day are the most expensive, while flying on the holiday itself is cheaper. New Year’s flights are also pricey with many people returning home on New Year’s Day or even squeezing one extra weekend out of the holiday season and coming back on Sunday, January 4.

Travel by other modes is expected to go up by nine percent with 4.9 million people traveling by bus, train, or cruise. This category has seen a 25 percent increase since 2019, mainly due to the record-setting demand for cruises post-pandemic. More than 204,000 Ohioans are expected to travel by other modes. That’s 10 percent higher than 2024 and 55 percent above the year-end travel numbers in the pre-pandemic days of 2019.