3.8 million Michiganders expected to travel over the holidays

(CBS DETROIT) — Michiganders are expected to hit the road in record numbers for the upcoming holidays. 

According to AAA, 3.8 million Michigan residents will travel 50 miles or more for the holiday. That’s an all-time high for holiday travel and 98,000 more travelers than in 2023. 

Of the 3.8 Michiganders expected to travel over the holidays, nearly 3.4 million will drive, more than 217,000 will fly and another 144,000 will travel by bus, cruise or train. AAA considers the holiday travel period as stretching from Saturday, Dec. 21, to Wednesday, Jan. 1.

“Many travelers, particularly families with young children, prefer the flexibility and lower cost that road trips provide,” said Adrienne Woodland, AAA spokesperson. “Gas demand in December goes down as the weather gets colder, more people work remotely, and holiday shoppers purchase their gifts online versus in person.”

Michiganders are also expected to save at the gas pump. Currently, Michigan gas prices are at their lowest since January 2024, and motorists are paying on average $2.94 per gallon for regular unleaded.

Nationwide, 119.3 million are projected to travel over the holidays — about 3 million more people than last year and 64,000 more than the previous record set in 2019. Holiday air travel is also expected to shatter previous records, with 7.9 million people projected to fly domestically over the holiday, surpassing the previous record of 7.5 million that took to the air last year.

AAA says 4.7 million Americans will travel by cruise, bus or train over the holidays, which is up 10% compared to last year and the highest it’s been in 20 years.