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Holiday travel tips: How to avoid crowds, keep safe if flying or driving this year

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Holiday travel tips: How to avoid crowds, keep safe if flying or driving this year

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Whether it’s for Thanksgiving in a couple of weeks or for Christmas next month, a lot of people will be heading out of town this holiday season.

A report from the Deloitte Consumer Industry Center almost one-third of Americans will travel for Thanksgiving and almost one-quarter of Americans will travel for Christmas. That means a lot more people on the road and in the air.

Want a less stressful trip? Here are some tips for traveling including safety guidance and the best days/times to head out:

When will be the busiest times for holiday driving?

According to last year’s studies by INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, the busiest day for Thanksgiving driving is the Wednesday before with average travel times as high as 80% over normal in some metro areas. Drivers should leave in the morning or after 6 p.m.

Later in the holiday season, it’s expected Dec. 23 and 28 will be the most congested days on the road around Christmas. Dec. 30 is also likely to be busy due to people heading back home from Christmas or traveling for New Year’s Eve. Drivers should get on the road before lunchtime or after 7p.m. 

I-20 is a particular street of concern given its connection to Atlanta, Augusta, and Columbia. So, if that’s on your route, take extra care.

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How to stay safe when driving in winter weather

While a white Christmas is very rare throughout most parts of Georgia, freezing temperatures are very possible later in the holiday season, leading to icy roads and other hazards. Here are some safety tips from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in preparation for a road trip:

  • Maintain at least half a tank of gas.
  • Have a safety kit including phone chargers/batteries, blankets, an ice scraper, sand for traction and jumper cables.
  • Don’t speed and avoid abrupt steering maneuvers.
  • When the temperature drops, so does battery power. Have your battery checked by a mechanic ahead of time.
  • Ensure tires have sufficient tread.
  • For those with children in car seats: Avoid heavy coats. Pick thin, warm layers, and place blankets or coats around your child after the harness is snug and secure for extra warmth.

What is the best time to fly for the holidays?

NerdWallet studied fliers between 2021 and 2023 and broke down the numbers to how many flew each day before and after a holiday. For Thanksgiving, they found the least busy days are on Thanksgiving, the Saturday before, and the Wednesday after. The most busy days are the Wednesday before and the Sunday after.

Similarly, the financial analysis site determined Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day have the fewest fliers on average. But if you can’t travel on the actual holidays, Dec. 18 and 28 are the next easiest days. Here are the estimated five worst dates to fly starting with the absolute worst:

  1. Dec. 27
  2. Dec. 30
  3. Dec. 20
  4. Dec. 26
  5. Dec. 23

NerdWallet also recommends going with the easiest days to fly if you are saving money as they tend to also be cheaper.

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