A file photo of a sign at the San Diego International Airport.
The official winter holiday season travel period will begin Saturday, with the Automobile Club of Southern California projecting that 9.9 million SoCal residents will take end-of-the-year trips.
The projected travel number is 3.5% higher than last year and 6.8% higher than the pre-pandemic 2019 holiday season.
"This is the time of year when lifelong memories are made with loved ones, and travel plays a big role in that," Jena Miller, the Auto Club's vice president for travel products and services, said in a statement. "This year, with Christmas Day falling on a Wednesday, we will see many families not only take road trips but also fly to international destinations and set sail for warm destinations in the Caribbean."
The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, which owns and operates the San Diego International Airport, expects to see up to 1.3 million people arriving and departing between Thursday and Jan. 5, 2025.
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The busiest days are anticipated to be Friday through Monday before Christmas Day and Thursday through Sunday following the holiday. Additionally, the Thursday through Sunday period following New Year's Eve could see as many as 80,000 people daily traveling through the airport.
The estimates are roughly 4-5% more than last year at the same time and a 6-7% increase over pre-pandemic numbers in 2019, according to the airport authority.
Nationwide, 119.3 million people are expected to travel for the holiday, narrowly surpassing the record set in 2019, according to the Auto Club.
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The vast majority of travelers are expected to reach their destinations by car. Among Southern California residents, 8.7 million are expected to travel by car, with 899,000 traveling by air, and 310,000 by other means, such as bus, train or cruise ship.
The Auto Club noted that Southern California gas prices are about 40 cents per gallon less than they were a year ago. The worst traffic congestion is expected to occur on the weekends before Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
The Auto Club considers the official winter holiday season travel period as Dec. 21 through Jan. 1.
Tips for those heading to San Diego International Airport
For those heading to San Diego International to pick up or drop off, expect delays on westbound and eastbound North Harbor Drive due to the possibility of slow construction vehicles.
The busiest times curbside will likely be 4-6:15 a.m., 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and 8 p.m. to midnight.
To help avoid holiday travel woes, the airport authority offered some tips:
- Arrive at least two hours early to avoid the busiest times
- Mark parking reservations on SAN's website
- Take the free San Diego Flyer shuttle service between the Old Town Transit Station and SAN. The electric shuttle buses operate seven days a week, with an average arrival time of every 20 to 30 minutes. The first pickup is at 4:45 a.m. and the last pickup/drop off at 12:30 a.m.
- Have family or friends drop you off or use ride-hailing services
During the holiday season, San Diego International will have seasonal entertainment such as carolers, musical performances and photos with Santa Claus.
