Holiday travel could reach record levels – but you might not be able to tell
BOSTON - AAA predicts the 2023 Christmas and New Year's travel numbers could come close to the records set in 2019.
"One hundred fifteen million people are expected to travel this year. Of that, 104 million will be on the roadway," explained Mark Schieldrop, a spokesperson for AAA Northeast.
However, a trip to Logan Airport late Thursday morning revealed tolerable security lines, and a drive along the Mass Pike was a breeze. So what's the difference?
"Things are a little bit different these days, you know," Schieldrop said. "It's changed a little bit with more flexibility, more work from home. People have hybrid schedules, and people are also being a little strategic about their vacation days."
"Smart travelers can stagger their departures and can also stagger their returns," added CBS News Travel Editor Peter Greenberg. "Keep in mind that both Christmas and New Year's falling on a Monday allows people to do that…most people got out on Tuesday, and they're probably going to come back Wednesday or Thursday of next week. They're not going to leave [Friday], and they're not going to leave Saturday. They got a head start."
Still, both weather and others' plans make airport conditions and traffic unpredictable. The best thing you can do: arrive early. "Give yourself at least a two-and-a-half hour connect time between flights," Greenberg said. "Weather is always the intangible, which is why you want to give yourself a 2 and a half hour lead time. If you're connecting flights and try to get the first flight out of the day, even if the weather is perfect, because it may not be perfect where the plane is that's coming to get you."
