A near-record number of Tennesseans are expected to travel for Christmas this year, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA).
AAA forecasts that more than 2.7 million Tennesseans will travel 50 miles or more for the year-end holiday from Saturday, December 21 to Wednesday, January 1 , which is 62,000 more travelers than last year and 62,000 travelers shy of the record high set in 2019.
Of the 2.7 million Tennesseans projected to travel this Christmas holiday, more than 2.5 million are expected to drive to their destinations, which is 52,000 more road trippers than last year.
Meanwhile, approximately 75,373 Tennesseans are expected to fly to their destinations this Christmas while 117,875 are expected to travel by other means of transportation.
The number of Christmas travelers across the nation is projected to be a record high this year, as AAA predicts that 119.3 million individuals will travel over the holiday period, which surpasses the previous national record set in 2019 by 64,000 travelers.
In the Volunteer State, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) announced that Christmas travelers would not be delayed by construction during this year’s holiday.
All construction-related lane closures in the state will be stopped from 11:59 p.m. Monday, December 23, through 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, January 1, 2025, according to TDOT.
“Safety is our top priority and with so many people expected to travel Tennessee roadways during the holidays, we want to keep traffic moving and get everyone to their destinations. As always, please wear your seatbelt, reduce your speed, avoid distractions, and move over for emergency vehicles,” Deputy Governor and TDOT Commissioner Butch Eley said in a statement.
In Tennessee, the average price for a gallon of unleaded gasoline was $2.71 as of Monday, which is 12 cents lower than 2023’s average price two days before Christmas of $2.82 per gallon.
– – –
Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
