RDU preps for nearly 600,000 travelers, AAA predicts third-busiest year
Raleigh-Durham International Airport on Monday will release its holiday travel forecast.
Posted — UpdatedSince Christmas Day and New Year's Day both fall on Sunday this year, the stretch for travel is even longer, with RDU considering Saturday, Dec. 17 through Tuesday, Jan. 3 travel season.
In a press conference on Monday, a spokesperson for the airport sad the busiest travel day will be Friday, Dec. 23, with 38,308 travelers. Dec. 25, Christmas Day, will be the slowest day of the 18-day stretch.
Travel experts predict this could be the third-busiest year for air travel in more than 20 years.
AAA predicts 3.3 million people from North Carolina will travel between Dec. 23, and Jan. 2, almost 150,000 more than last year. AAA predicts 112.7 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more away from home in the same span.
“This year, travel time will be extended due to Christmas Day and New Year’s Day falling on Sundays,” says Paula Twidale, AAA’s Senior Vice President of Travel. “With hybrid work schedules, we are seeing more people take long weekends to travel because they can work remotely at their destination and be more flexible with the days they depart and return.”
The trend is being seen across the country, as air travel is expected to come close to pre-pandemic numbers.
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