COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Millions of Americans are ignoring the warnings from officials and traveling for the holidays. AAA predicts as many as 84.5 million Americans may still travel from Dec. 23 through Jan. 3. AAA also expects the vast majority of Americans will stay home for the holidays.
Of those traveling, Christmas Eve is projected to be the busiest holiday travel day despite inclement weather and dire warnings from public health officials that traveling could lead to a spike in COVID-19 cases.
“We're going to see a lot of people traveling," John Townsend, the public relations manager for AAA Mid-Atlantic said. "You see at the airports across the country the tremendous spike in the number of persons traveling, the highest travel volume since the beginning of the pandemic in this nation. When you look at it in the cosmic scheme of things, in the Washington Metro area we're expecting almost 2.1 million people to travel and the vast majority of them will travel about automobile.”
On Thursday morning Dulles International Airport had one delayed flight on its board of departures. The airport was also quiet for a busy travel day, with only a few lines at certain airline counters.
“Probably going to be some delays," one hurried traveler said of the weather outside. "When you're traveling you just leave everything to God, so whatever it is, it is.”
Townsend said 96% of people traveling for the holidays will do so by car. He said people perceive that it’s safer than flying. Castle said that’s the reason she chose to drive to see family this year.
“I would love to fly but I'm a little bit skeptical about it, but driving I'm good.” Jodi Castle said.
Castle is traveling with her family to Georgia. She said had it not been for COVID-19 she would have traveled elsewhere, and via airplane.
“I would have been in Aruba or somewhere like that or I'd have been over in Europe, or Cancun," she said. "But due to Covid, you know, you have to make some major changes so I'm okay with that."
Townsend said the roadways will be extremely busy this holiday season with Christmas Eve projected to be the busiest travel day. On Thursday roadways were busy, but no major traffic backups were reported. Townsend predicted some drivers would adjust their schedules to leave early.
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“It would be an incentive for some people to leave earlier than planned to avoid the weather, because the last thing you want is winter weather on the roadway," he said. "Everyone wants a white Christmas but not when you're traveling more than 50 miles on the highway because it becomes more treacherous and more dangerous. So, seeing the weather forecast many people will change their plans and leave early because think about it this year."
