AAA Ohio: Travelers should expect heavy traffic, busier airports for holidays
Greater Columbus residents who traveled to see family and friends for Thanksgiving should expect to see double the number of people on the road and in airports for Christmas.
AAA Ohio estimates about 4.6 million Ohioans will travel 50 miles or more from home between Dec. 23 and Jan. 2, whereas Thanksgiving figures were projected about 2.2 million. That’s an increase of about 2.6% over last year for Ohio, coming close to the pre-pandemic record set in 2019, the travel agency said in a news release.
The holiday traveling period is expected to be the second-busiest time of the year in Ohio and the third nationally as people become more comfortable traveling again.
“This year, travel time will be extended due to Christmas Day and New Year’s Day falling on Sundays,” said Paula Twidale, AAA senior vice president of travel. “With hybrid work schedules, we are seeing more people take long weekends to travel because they can work remotely at their destination and be more flexible with the days they depart and return.”
Millions of drivers expected to hit the road for the holidays
AAA predicts more than 4.2 million drivers in Ohio will hit the road for Christmas, an increase of 60,000 people compared to last year.
INRIX, a provider of transportation analytics and insights, expects the most congested days on the road to be Friday, as well as Dec. 27, Dec. 28 and Jan. 2, as travelers are on the road with commuters. Nationwide, drivers could see travel times up to 25% longer.
Bob Pishue, a transportation analyst at INRIX, said in the release that people should travel during the morning hours or after the afternoon commute in order to avoid peak commuting hours.
“With pre-pandemic levels of travelers hitting the road this holiday, drivers must be prepared for delays in and around major metro areas, with Tuesday, Dec. 27 expected to be the nation’s worst day to travel,” he said in the release.
Meanwhile, gas prices across the state remain lower than the national average. As of Tuesday, the average cost of gas in Ohio is $2.88, with the national average at $3.12, according to AAA. In Franklin County, the average is $2.86.
Air travel also expected to see an increase this season
Air travel also is expected to surpass pre-pandemic figures. More than 258,000 Ohioans will fly to their destinations, which is a 12.8% increase over last year. In 2019, 257,000 Ohioans traveled by plane.
The increase in air travel is occurring despite airfares rising. According to AAA’s Leisure Travel Index, the average price of the lowest round-trip ticket for Christmas is up 6% from last year at $163.
Closer to home, the Columbus Regional Airport Authority is projecting nearly 180,000 travelers will depart from John Glenn Columbus International Airport between Tuesday and Jan. 2, the organization said in a news release. The authority operates John Glenn and Rickenbacker International Airport.
The busiest days at the airport are expected to be:
Thursday: 14,000 scheduled departing airline seats
Friday: 13,700 scheduled departing airline seats
Dec. 26: 13,000 scheduled departing airline seats
Dec. 27: 13,100 scheduled departing airline seats
The authority usually recommends that passengers arrive at the airport 90 minutes before domestic flights and two hours before international flights to allow time for check-in and security checks. The airport authority also recommends reviewing lists of banned items, which include snow globes containing more than 3.5 ounces of liquid. Those items are popular gifts around the holidays but could get confiscated at security checks, digital media specialist Kati Hartwig previously told The Dispatch.
mwalker@dispatch.com
@micah_walker701
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: AAA Ohio: Travelers should expect traffic, busy airports for holidays
