2022 holiday travel season: What to expect on the roads and in the air

TAMPA, Fla. - AAA's latest end-of-year holiday travel forecast predicts 112 million Americans will take a trip by air, land, or sea for the holidays, including 6.3 million Floridians.  

Out of that 6.3 million, AAA estimates 5.8 million Floridians will hit the roads, just in time for an early gift of plunging gas prices. According to their research, the state average has declined 41 cents per gallon since November 10 and should get even cheaper in the next 13 days leading up to Christmas.

But some would rather maximize the limited time they have, and just fly. That's why the demand for flights has surged despite high airline ticket prices. On average, airfares cost 6% more than this time last year, and airports won't just be packed in the sunshine state.

They expect the number of people taking holiday flights to closely match those from 2019 when 7.3 million Americans traveled by air. If you haven't booked your flights yet, they do recommend choosing ones that leave early in the day, which are least susceptible to delays or cancelations; booking direct flights to avoid drama with layovers; and flying on Christmas Day for the best scheduling and deals.

READ: Dog accidentally sent through airport x-ray machine, TSA says

Others who don't want to fly or drive may be heading to the ports. Those individuals are apparently not even waiting until Christmas or New Year's Day to embark on a trip. Right now, Port Tampa Bay is currently experiencing its busiest three-day cruise stretch of the year. From Saturday, Dec. 10 to Monday, Dec. 12, a total of seven ships will board and disembark.