What to expect from Portland's holiday travel surge
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Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios
Brace yourself for busy airports and highways this holiday season.
Driving the news: This year, AAA is predicting its second-highest year-end travel forecast since the group began tracking holiday travel in 2000.
Why it matters: The projection rounds off a year when travel records were already set around July Fourth and Thanksgiving.
Zoom in: Portland International Airport is expecting about 730,000 passengers during these last two weeks of December.
- It's a 20% increase from 2022, when the region saw a major ice storm and hundreds of canceled flights.
The big picture: Across Oregon, AAA says about 1.4 million people will drive to their holiday destinations this year, and 156,000 will travel by air.
Threat level: INRIX, a transportation data company, predicts Portland's peak congestion will hit this Saturday around 5:45pm on I-84 E from Portland towards Hood River.
- The company said that trip will take 1 hour and about 40 minutes — 40% above average.
What they're saying: Doreen Loofburrow, senior vice president of travel for AAA Oregon/Idaho, said in a written statement she expects about 2.5 million more travelers across the region this Christmas and New Year's season compared to last year.
Be smart: The airport recommends arriving 2.5 hours before domestic flights and 3 hours before international ones.
- And it recommends checking parking availability online before driving to the airport.
The big picture: AAA said 115.2 million travelers nationwide will hit the road or take flight during the 10-day holiday travel period beginning Dec. 23.
- The group projects 4.7% more holiday air travelers this year compared to 2022.