Nearly 600,000 West Virginians Expected to Travel for Year-End Holidays

BECKLEY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Nearly 600,000 West Virginians are expected to travel for the year-end holidays, contributing to national travel numbers that are expected to be record-breaking as more than 119 million travel nationwide.

This year’s West Virginia travel forecast is about 2.9% higher than the actual number of travelers for the year-end holidays in 2023. Nationwide, this year’s forecast eclipses 2023’s end-of-the-year travel numbers by an additional 3 million travelers.

“As a record-breaking holiday travel season gets under way, AAA wants to take this opportunity to remind travelers to enjoy the journey, but stay safe and be mindful of their surroundings at all times,” said Lori Weaver Hawkins, public affairs manager, AAA Blue Grass. “Those traveling by car need to stay aware of the roadway and the traffic around them. All travelers should stay alert, secure their wallets and purses, and never leave their luggage unattended at hotels or airports.”

With the majority of holiday travelers taking to the roadways, AAA urges drivers to slow down, never drive impaired or distracted, avoid aggression behind the wheel and ensure everyone is wearing seatbelts.

What travelers can expect
Here’s a quick look at some of the holiday travel numbers, trends and tips from AAA:

Overall travel and road travel

• 598,284– Number of West Virginians who will travel 50 miles or more from home for the 2024 end-of-year holiday travel period (Saturday, Dec. 21―Wednesday, Jan. 1), an increase of 2.9% from 2023.
  • 89% – Percentage of West Virginia travelers who will drive to their end-of-year holiday destination. The 534,561 taking to the roadways is a 2.5% increase from last year.
• 119 million – Number of travelers nationwide AAA projects will travel 50 miles or more from home for the end-of-year holiday, a nearly 3% increase compared to 2023. This year’s national travel numbers are on track to surpass the previous record-breaking 2019 travel year by about 64,000 more travelers.
  • 107 million – Number of travelers nationwide who will drive to their holiday destinations. This represents 2.4% more road travelers during the holiday compared to the same end-of-the-year holiday travel period in 2023.
• 1-800-HELP – The number for members to call for AAA Emergency Roadside Assistance or download the app before heading down the holiday road.
  • Top 3 reasons motorists call for AAA emergency roadside assistance:
    • Vehicle breakdown requiring a tow
    • Dead battery
    • Tire problems
  • Be sure to have your vehicle inspected and serviced to make sure it’s road-ready for your holiday trip.

Worst Days for Vehicle Travel this end-of-year holiday travel period:

• Worst times to travel by car: Weekend before Christmas and weekend before New Year’s Day. December 22 is expected to be the worst day for road travel over the holidays. Try to leave in the morning to avoid the heaviest traffic.

More West Virginians flying this year than last
While the majority of West Virginians will be taking to the roadways, there will be more West Virginians flying for the end-of-year holidays than last year. That’s also true nationwide, making for busy airports.

“Travelers are advised to give themselves additional time to make it through the airport,” advises Weaver Hawkins. “Download the airline’s app so you can stay on top of any changes in gates or flight times.”

Here’s what air travelers can expect:

• 33,631 ― The number of West Virginians expected to take to the skies during this year-end holiday travel period. While the wide majority of West Virginians will be driving, the number who have opted to fly represents an 5.5% increase over 2023.
• 7.85 million – The number of people who will travel by air nationwide this end-of-year holiday travel period. This represents a 4.7% increase compared to the number flying nationwide last year.

Cruises and other modes of travel on the rise
The forecast for West Virginians traveling by other modes of transportation, including cruises, trains and buses, is higher than the number flying, though that isn’t the case across the nation. Cruises remain extremely possible, which likely contributes to the increase in travelers opting for other modes of transportation compared with a year ago.

• 30,091 – Number of West Virginians expected to travel by other modes of transportation, including cruises, buses and trains. This is an increase of about 7.2% compared to last year.
• 4.47 million – Number of people nationwide expected to travel by other modes of transportation, including buses, cruises, and trains. This an increase of 9.7% compared to last year.

Warm weather destinations popular
Year-end holiday travelers in West Virginia and across the country are flocking to warm-weather destinations, regardless of their mode of transportation.

Top Domestic Destinations for this end-of-year holiday travel period, based on AAA Travel bookings:

• Orlando, Fla.
• Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
• Miami, Fla.
• Anaheim/Los Angeles, Calif.
• Tampa, Fla.
• Las Vegas, Nev.
• Honolulu, Hawaii
• Charleston, S.C.
• New Orleans, La.
• New York

Top International Destinations for this end-of-year holiday travel period, based on AAA Travel bookings:

• Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
• Mexicali, Mexico
• Bahrain, Bahrain
• Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
• San Jose, Costa Rica
• San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Nassau, Bahamas
• Oranjestad, Aruba
• London, England

Travel costs compared to last year

While the cost of travel is up from 2023, there are a few areas where costs held steady and in the case of car rentals and pump prices, even decreased.

• $2.92 – West Virginia average cost per gallon of regular unleaded gasoline, as of 12/7/24, about 11 cents lower than the average one year ago.
• 8% ― Decrease in the cost of domestic car rentals this holiday season compared to last year. The average booking cost of a rental car (which is typically for several days) is $630 total.
• 12% ― Increase in the cost of year-end vacations compared to 2023. The average cost for this year’s holiday getaway is $1,000. Domestic year-end travel booking numbers are up 36% compared to a year ago.
• 7% ― Increase in the price of an international year-end vacation compared to last year. The average cost is $1,500. Number of international year-end travel bookings  are up 13% compared to 2023
• 1% – Increase in the price of domestic hotels this holiday season compared to last year. Average booking cost for a hotel stay (typically a few nights) is $690 total for the booking. International hotel prices are down about 15% from a year ago, however, with an average cost per booking of $1,125.
• $830 – Average price for a domestic roundtrip flight for end-of-year holiday travel, based on AAA Travel bookings. This is 4% more costly than last year.
• $1,350 – Average cost of cruises departing from U.S. cities during the year-end holiday travel period, which is 33% more expensive compared to the same time last year. The cost of cruises departing from international ports is just 5% higher than 2023, with an average cost of $2,120.

Other helpful tools:

• w511.org– West Virginia Department of Transportation website for details on road construction, detours and road conditions.
• AAA Mobile App – Available for free on Google Play and the Apple App store, this app allows motorists to find the cheapest gas price near their location, request AAA emergency roadside assistance, tap in to discounts and rewards, book travel and more.