Mainers are hitting the road for a busy week of holiday travel

A woman walks past an arrivals and departure screen and other passengers waiting in the ticketing area of the Portland International Jetport on July 19. Gregory Rec/Portland Press Herald, file

Mainers heading away from home to celebrate the the holidays will be among the record number of people expected to travel over the next two weeks.

Predicting the busiest travel days is a bit tricky this year because Christmas falls in the middle of the week, but experts say Maine travelers heading out by plane, train or automobile are unlikely to encounter the same delays they might see in large cities.

The busiest day at the Portland International Jetport is expected to be Monday, according to Zachary Sundquist, the assistant airport director.

“We do not expect any major lines or peaks in traffic here in Portland, but travelers should expect the connecting hubs to be busy,” Sundquist said.

The number of Americans traveling by train, bus and cruise for the holidays is expected to be around 4.47 million — a nearly 10% jump from last year, according to AAA, the auto association that tracks travel trends. That be the highest level in 20 years.

BUSY ROADS

More than 119 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home between Dec. 21 and Jan. 1, which would surpass the previous record, set in 2019, according to AAA.

About 90% of Americans traveling far from home will be in cars, according to the group, which predicts there will be an additional 3 million travelers this holiday season compared to last year.

“This is the time of year when lifelong memories are made with loved ones, and travel plays a big role in that,” Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, said in an emailed statement. “This year, with Christmas Day falling on a Wednesday, we’re anticipating record-breaking travel numbers the weekend before and the weekend after the holiday.”

Drivers can expect to experience the worst traffic delays on the weekends before Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, according to transportation data firm INRIX, which predicts drivers in Boston and New York City could see double the typical delays. Travel times nationwide could be up to 30% longer.

There will be plenty of traffic on the Maine Turnpike, but the numbers of cars will be far less than during the peak summer season.

Erin Courtney, a Maine Turnpike Authority spokesperson, said she can’t forecast numbers for holiday travel the same way she does around Thanksgiving because Christmas falls on a different day of the week each year. But turnpike traffic for the first couple of weeks of December was up 3.3% from last year. Traffic for the year through November was up 4.6%, she said.

Last December, the turnpike recorded nearly 7 million transactions at toll plazas. During the summer, that number grows to around 9.5 million per month.

AIR TRAVEL

Nationwide, the busiest days for airlines were expected to be Dec. 20, 22, 26 and 27.

The trade group Airlines for America expects U.S. airlines to carry 54 million passengers during a 19-day period that started Dec. 19 and ends Jan. 6. The number would represent a 6% increase over last year.

The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen 40 million passengers through Jan. 2.

Sundquist said traffic at the jetport for the two weeks around Christmas and New Year’s Day is expected to be up over last year. The number of seats in the market between Dec. 21 and Jan. 2 is nearly 90,000 — a 22% increase from last year, he said.

“Passengers can still arrive 90 minutes before departure and have plenty of time to get checked in and through security,” Sundquist said.

The lines were short at the jetport Sunday morning as air travelers headed both home and away for the holidays.

Daniella Gonzalez and her roommate, Veronica Toledo, students at the University of Medicine and Health Sciences in South Portland, were moving back home to Puerto Rico in time for the holidays and were excited to see family.

“So far, we’re just trying to get everything sorted out so we don’t get overwhelmed with how busy it’s going to get,” Gonzalez said before getting on her flight. “We’re going to JFK (International Airport in New York), so I’m pretty sure we’re going to see (crowds).”

Meanwhile, a handful of families waited in baggage claim in their holiday gear to welcome loved ones to Maine.

Eleven-year-old Phoebe and 7-year-old “Bingo” Littlefield, of Farmingdale, ran to their nana Donna Mathias with open arms as she arrived in Portland from Virginia.

“She’s never missed a Christmas in Maine,” said Kaiti Littlefield, the girls’ mom.

Kaiti Littlefield said Mathis’ trip from Dulles International Airport went off without a hitch.

“She got up really early because she was worried that there would be large crowds, but she said she got right through,” Kaiti Littlefield said. “Everybody’s in really good spirits.”

TRAVEL BY TRAIN

The Amtrak Downeaster is expected to be busy this week, said Taylor Auclair, marketing director for the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority.

“We do anticipate a busy travel season through the end of the year, which is excellent,” she said.

Northbound train travel to Maine will pick up a couple of days before Christmas, with some trains already full booked, Auclair said. She anticipates travel will be spread out over the week after the holidays.

Auclair said some people see the train as an attractive option because there’s always a chance of wintery weather.

“We’ll take care of the driving for you,” Auclair said. “Getting off the road is always a great idea if you can.”

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