Absence apparently made millions of hearts grow fonder with roughly 34% more Americans expected to take to the roads and skies during the 2021 Christmas holiday than one year ago.
According to the latest American Automobile Association projections, more than 109 million Americans, many of whom sacrificed 2020 holiday travel and gatherings to protect against the spread of the coronavirus, intend to make up for lost time.
The projected travel spike comes despite surging COVID-19 infections nationwide, spurred primarily by the dominant delta variant of the coronavirus and exacerbated by the emergent and highly transmissible omicron variant.
| Total | Automobile | Air | Other (bus, train, cruise ship) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Forecast | 109.5 million | 100.1 million | 6.4 million | 2.9 million |
| 2020 Actual | 81.7 million | 78.5 million | 2.3 million | 0.98 million |
| 2019 Actual | 119.3 million | 108 million | 7.3 million | 3.89 million |
| Change (2019 to 2021) | -8.2% | -7.3% | -12.6% | -24.8% |
| Change (2020 to 2021) | 33.9% | 27.6% | 184% | 198.7% |
Source: AAA
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released its recommendations for 2021 holiday gatherings and related travel, stating that the best way to minimize COVID-19 risk is to get vaccinated if you are eligible.
>> Related: Coronavirus: CDC issues new 2021 holiday COVID-19 guidance
According to a Johns Hopkins University tally, cumulative COVID-19 cases in the U.S. neared 51 million Sunday night, including nearly 3.1 million cases and more than 34,500 virus-related deaths reported within the past 28 days. More than 806,000 COVID-19 deaths have been reported nationwide since the pandemic began.
“If you’re vaccinated and you’re boosted, and you take care when you go into congregate settings like airports to make sure you continually wear your mask, you should be OK,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday. He urged air travelers to remain masked during flights, The New York Times reported.
Meanwhile, the forecast number of Christmas 2021 travelers venturing at least 50 miles from home may fall only about 8% below pre-pandemic levels recorded in 2019, when some 119.3 million Americans took to the roads and skies.
>> Related: Christmas travel 2021: Best, worst times to hit the road
AAA, a nonprofit federation of North American motor clubs with more than 60 million members across the United States and Canada, classifies the 2021 Christmas holiday travel period as the 11-day stretch between Thursday, Dec. 23 and Sunday, Jan. 2.
“Americans who canceled their vacations in 2020 want to gather with family and friends for the holidays this year, although they will still be mindful of the pandemic and the new omicron variant,” Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel, said in a prepared statement.
“With vaccines widely available, conditions are much different, and many people feel a greater level of comfort with travel,” she added.
Meanwhile, airlines are expected to experience a 184% increase in passengers during the extended holiday, compared with 2020. AAA also noted:
- More than 100 million Americans are planning to drive to their destinations, despite gas costing, on average, $1.25 more per gallon than one year ago.
- More than 6 million people are expected to fly to their destinations.
- Some 3 million people will seek alternative travel methods, including buses, trains and cruise ships.
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