Louisville on track for record-breaking holiday travel season: What to know about car, air travel

Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal
·3 min read
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Louisville's roads and runways could move a record number of holiday travelers as 2023 draws to a close.

The Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport estimates 100,000 passengers will depart between Dec. 21 and Jan. 3, spokesperson Natalie Chaudoin said.

"We expect this Christmas and holiday season to be the busiest yet," Chaudoin said. "Our numbers are up 22% compared to last year. We expect 2023 will set a new record overall as far as passenger traffic, so what we're seeing is on par with what we saw for spring break, summer travel and Thanksgiving."

Like the airport, AAA also forecast a record breaking holiday season. The association estimates 115 million Americans, roughly a third of the country, to travel at least 50 miles during the holiday season. The projection is the second-highest AAA has made since 2000, said Lynda Lambert, a AAA spokesperson for the East South Central region.

About 94% of the 6.5 million estimated travelers in AAA's East South Central region, which includes Kentucky, will travel at least 50 miles by car. According to AAA's holiday travel forecast, drivers traveling anytime between Christmas and New Year's Eve should expect to see the most traffic during the afternoon hours.

"Our recommendation is that you get up and get out early, especially before lunchtime, if at all possible, and if that can't be arranged, wait and leave later in the day, after 7 p.m.," Lambert said.

Here is a breakdown of other AAA travel figures for the East South Central region, which also includes Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi:

  • 6.1 million people traveling by car (up 0.7% from 2022)

  • 200,000 people traveling by airplane (up 17.3%)

  • 267,000 people traveling by bus, train, ship and other modes of transportation (up 12.3%)

Due to the higher than usual volume of passengers expected at the Louisville airport, Chaudoin said passengers should plan to arrive at least two hours before their flight takes off.

Natalie Chaudoin, Public Relations Director with the Muhammad Ali International Airport has some travel tips for those flying two and from Louisville over the busy holiday season.
Natalie Chaudoin, Public Relations Director with the Muhammad Ali International Airport has some travel tips for those flying two and from Louisville over the busy holiday season.

"If you have an early flight, anything before that 8:30 a.m. time frame, which is a busy period for us, we recommend arriving two and a half hours early," Chaudoin said. "That way you give yourself plenty of time to get checked in, through security and to your gate. Most flights board about 30 minutes before the scheduled departure time because (the airlines) want that door closed before departure."

Chaudoin said air travelers should often keep a close eye on the status of their flight.

"Even weather in various other parts of the country can have a domino effect," Chaudoin said. "Airplanes typically don't fly just from A to B, they're making various stops along the way."

Available parking spots at the airport will be limited, so travelers should be aware of their options before they arrive, Chaudoin said. The airport has a surface lot, a parking garage, the Premier parking lot, the Express Shuttle lot and valet parking. Rates for extended parking range from $8-24 a day.

When it comes to traveling for the holidays, Lambert said travelers should "pack their patience."

"Kindness and graciousness can go a long way and just know that it's going to be crowded. Getting upset won't help the situation," she said.

Reach reporter Leo Bertucci at lbertucci@courierjournal.com or @leober2chee on X, formerly known as Twitter

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: What to know about traveling by car and plane during the holidays