AAA is projecting that 1,560,046 Kentuckians will travel 50 miles or more from home over the year-end holiday travel period, beginning Dec. 20 and ending Jan. 1, an increase of 1% over last year. Travelers in the Commonwealth will be a part of 122.4 million Americans expected to travel nationwide over the holiday period.
“Kentuckians continue to make travel a priority in their lives, with more than a third of the commonwealth’s population choosing to travel,” says Lori Weaver Hawkins, public and government affairs manager, AAA Blue Grass. “While this year’s forecast is only about 1% higher than the number of Kentuckians traveling a year ago, there’s been a significant increase in the number of Kentuckians choosing to travel by other means, likely due to the growing popularity of cruises.”
Nationally, the forecast is for a 2.2% increase in overall travel, with an increase in travel by other modes of transportation mirroring that of Kentucky.
Road trips continue to dominate Kentucky travel
Kentuckians favor road trips and the year-end holidays are no exception. About 1,440,749 Kentuckians — about 92.4% of those traveling — are expected to do so by automobile. That’s only a half percent more than the number traveling by car a year ago.
Motorists will find pump prices below the $3 mark across all of Kentucky, with the statewide average as of Dec. 10 at $2.61 per gallon of regular, about 8 cents lower than the same date in 2024.
Nationally, AAA is predicting that about 109.5M will travel by car for the year-end holidays, about 89.4% of travelers across the country. The national gas price, as of Dec. 10, was at $2.94, which is about 7 cents lower than this date in 2024.
Be sure your vehicle is road ready
Whether you are traveling a long distance or staying local, minimize the risk of spending precious time over your holiday stranded along the roadside by making sure your vehicle is road ready. AAA suggests getting an inspection of your vehicle to check key components like the battery, fuel system, tires, brakes and fluid levels. If your vehicle’s battery is three or more years old, it’s especially important to have it checked by a professional battery tech to reduce the chance of being stranded roadside.
Staying safe on the roadways
With so many taking to the roadways, Weaver Hawkins reminds Kentuckians to put safety first and not get distracted or angry behind the wheel. Travelers should also give themselves plenty of time to reach their destinations.
“I say it every holiday: pack your patience,” she says. “Becoming frustrated because you’re caught in traffic and running late can lead to anger behind the wheel and aggressive driving behaviors, like tailgating, running redlights, abrupt lane changes and even road rage.”
Weaver Hawkins reminds drivers not to police the driving behavior of others and instead, focus on getting to and from their destinations safely.
AAA also reminds motorists to never get behind the wheel impaired. “If alcohol is going to be a part of your holiday celebrations, put a plan in place for a sober ride home before the festivities begin,” she reminds. “Schedule a rideshare, take a cab, have a designated driver or stay overnight at your host’s home. There are plenty of options, so no one should put themselves or others at risk by driving while impaired.”
AAA advises motorists to buckle up, whether heading out on a road trip or running an errand to the store. “Every occupant, every trip, every time,” Weaver Hawkins adds. “It’s your first line of defense when it comes to surviving in the event of a crash.”
Slow down and move over
AAA reminds motorists that not everyone is on vacation during the holidays. AAA’s emergency roadside rescue crews, law enforcement and other workers will be at the roadside, helping and protecting others.
“Stay focused on the road ahead. When you see someone at the roadside, reduce your speed. If it’s safe to do so, move over a lane until you’ve passed the incident,” Weaver Hawkins says. “We want to ensure everyone makes it home safely to their loved ones this holiday season.” AAA reminds that Kentucky’s Move Over law protects not only roadside workers, but stranded motorists displaying their vehicle flashers or other warning signal at the roadside.
Less than 3% of Kentuckians expected to fly
AAA is projecting about 45,884 Kentuckians will take to the skies, about 2.9% of all those traveling. That’s an increase of about 6.4% over air travel for the year-end holiday travel season in 2024.
Nationally, 6.6% of all travelers – 8.03 million Americans – are expected to fly, about 2.3% more than last year.
“While road trips remain the most popular mode of travel, there is a significant increase in the number of Kentuckians planning to fly over the holidays. Those who are flying should get to the airport earlier than normal, due to larger holiday crowds leading to longer security lines,” Weaver Hawkins adds. “Download your airline’s app and sign up for alerts to keep on top of any gate changes, delays or cancellations.”
Buses, trains and other modes of travel are also up in Kentucky
AAA expects 73,414 Kentuckians – about 4.7% of all those traveling – to go by bus, train or some other mode of transportation over the holidays, including cruises. The number of Kentuckians opting to travel by other modes of transportation is up 9.3% compared to a year ago, likely buoyed by the growing popularity of cruises among Kentuckians and those nationwide.
Nationally, AAA forecasts that 4.9 million will travel by modes of transportation other than automobile or by air, about 4% of all travelers across the country. This is a 9.1% increase compared with the end-of-year holiday travel season in 2024.
AAA’s year-end top destinations
The top holiday destinations listed below are based on AAA booking data for the year-end travel period. Warm destinations dominate the domestic side with travelers heading to Florida, Southern California, and Hawaii. Caribbean destinations and resort towns in Mexico are also popular to celebrate the year-end holidays and ring in 2026.
Best/worst times to drive and peak congestion by metro
INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, expects Christmas week to be busier on the roads than New Year’s week, but both weeks will see days of increased traffic. Interstates will be extra congested the weekend before Christmas, as travelers hit the road on Saturday and Sunday ahead of the holiday. Friday, December 26 is also expected to be busy as travelers make moves post-Christmas Day. Because the year-end holiday travel period spans a longer time frame, travelers have more options for departures and returns. The holidays themselves — Christmas and New Year’s Day — are typically the lightest traffic-wise but crashes or severe weather could create unexpected delays in some areas.
AAA’s year-end holiday travel period always includes two weekends. This year, that travel window is defined as the thirteen-day period from Saturday, December 20 to Thursday, January 1.