NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Passengers at Nashville International Airport (BNA) Sunday said they’ve had a pretty smooth travel experience overall, with mostly on-time flights and the normal amount of wait times during what is typically one of the busiest holiday travel days of the year.
From Saturday, Dec. 21 to New Year’s Day, AAA predicts 2.77 million Tennesseans will travel at least 50 miles from home, including 2.58 million by car and more than 75,000 by plane. That total is over 62,000 more than last year, but it’s also about 62,000 shy of the record high set in 2019.
On a national level, AAA projects there will be 3 million more travelers than last year, with an estimated 119.35 million people — including 107 million by car and 7.85 million by plane — traveling 50 miles or more this year. That would narrowly surpass the previous record set in 2019 by 64,000.
“I’m actually surprised because I was traveling during Thanksgiving and it’s way less. The line was like way out to here; now it’s not very much, so I feel like it’s a lot less than Thanksgiving, so that’s good news for us!” said Mary Elliott, who is taking an international trip to Turkey for Christmas.
For those flying within the U.S., the average domestic flight ticket price is slightly higher this year at $830, which is about 4% higher compared to last year.
Cindy Bruce and Jessica Beckner, who traveled to Nashville to visit family for the holidays, also said they had smooth experience flying domestically.
“Everything was really manageable, nothing crazy,” Bruce told News 2.
For drivers, though, gas prices in Tennessee are cheaper compared to this time last year. During the last two weeks of 2023, Tennessee gas prices averaged $2.78 per gallon, but as of Sunday, Dec. 22, drivers in the Volunteer State are paying an average of $2.71 per gallon for regular gas, based on AAA’s gas prices website.
To learn more about AAA’s holiday travel data, the best and worst times to travel by car, and travel safety tips, follow this link.
