AAA’s latest year-end holiday travel forecast puts a number on that feeling: 122.4 million Americans are projected to travel at least 50 miles from home during the 13-day year-end holiday period, beginning December 20 and ending January 1. The forecast is a 2.2% increase over last year and would surpass 2024’s record, according to AAA’s release. If you are traveling through Chicago—by air, by car, or some mix of both—those figures are not abstract. They show up as longer lines, tighter schedules, and less margin for error.
