GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) – A record 6.6 million Floridians are expected to crowd roads, airports, and seaports for trips of 50 miles or more during the end-of-year holidays.

According to the AAA Auto Club, Florida travel is projected to be 3.4 percent higher than last year. About 90 percent of those traveling will do so by car, and the busiest days on the road this year are expected to be December 23rd and 28th.

Triple A spokesman Mark Jenkins says two of the top five domestic travel destinations this holiday season are in the Sunshine State, so Floridians should be prepared for crowded roads and airports.

Mark Jenkins, Spokesman for the AAA Auto Club, shared, “Despite a lot of the inflationary pressures, we have seen a pretty steady appetite for travel right now. It’s long been a priority for Americans, and that is certainly the case here in 2023.”

Nationally, 115.2 million people are projected to travel 50 miles or more, up 2.5 million from last year, but still below the record year 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. The holiday period is considered December 23rd to January 1st.

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