ST. GEORGE — With weather looking partly-to-mostly clear or sunny and construction on pause going into the Christmas weekend, motorists heading north and south for the holidays have a little less to stress about while on the road.
However, much like Thanksgiving , both drivers and fliers can expect to see an increase in fellow travelers.
Nearly 113 million Americans are expected to pack their bags during the 11-day period from Dec. 23 through Jan, 2, according to the AAA. That’s a 3.3 percent rise from last year.
“This year, travel time will be extended due to Christmas Day and New Year’s Day falling on Sundays,” Paula Twidale, AAA’s senior vice president of travel said in a statement. “With hybrid work schedules, we are seeing more people take long weekends to travel because they can work remotely at their destination and be more flexible with the days they depart and return.”
According to AAA’s end-of-year estimates, nearly 102 million Americans will travel by car, which is 2 million more than last year. This is lower than 2019, which set the record for the most holiday drivers at 108 million. AAA has been tracking these numbers since 2000.
Air travel will see an increase of 14% over last year with nearly 7.2 million Americans expected to fly. This is close to the pre-pandemic numbers of 2019 that saw 7.3 million air travelers.
Other modes of transportation are also rebounding . AAA estimates travel by bus, rail and cruise ship will rise to 3.6 million this holiday season, a 23% increase from last year and nearly 94% of 2019’s volume.
AAA Utah holiday travel tips
- Check the forecast. Weather is unpredictable and can cause flight delays or cancellations.
- Travel during off-peak periods (before 2 p.m. or after 8 p.m.), if possible. Road traffic peaks on the Friday before Christmas and Dec. 27 and 28.
- Plan for delays. Drivers can expect up to 25 % longer travel times nationwide
- Get a pre-trip inspection to ensure your vehicle is road-ready. Nearly 900,000 travelers will call AAA for roadside assistance nationwide.
- Find the lowest gas prices on your travel route with the AAA Mobile App.
When to travel by car and road advisories
“With Christmas and New Year’s Day falling on a Sunday, heavier traffic can be expected through the end of the year,” Brian Ng, senior vice president of membership and travel marketing for AAA Utah, said in a statement.
AAA has compiled when the best and worst times to travel by car around the Christmas and New Year’s holidays are expected to be:
| Date | Worst travel time | Best travel time |
| 12/23/22 | 4-7 p.m. | Before 2 p.m., after 8 p.m, |
| 12/24/22 | Noon-6 p.m. | Before 1 a.m, after 7 p.m. |
| 12/25/22 (Christmas Day) – Minimal Traffic Expected | ||
| 12/26/22 | 2-6 p.m. | Before noon, after 7 p.m. |
| 12/27/22 | 3-7 p.m. | Before 2:00 PM, after 8:00 PM |
| 12/28/22 | 3-7 p.m. | Before 2 p.m., after 8 p.m. |
| 12/29/22 | 3-7 p.m. | Before 2 p.m., after 8 p.m. |
| 12/30/22 | 3-7 p.m. | Before 2 p.m., after 8 p.m. |
| 12/31/22 (New Year’s Eve) – Minimal Traffic Expected | ||
| 1/1/23 (New Year’s Day) – Minimal Traffic Expected | ||
| 1/2/23 | 4-7 p.m. | Before 3 p.m., after 8 p.m. |
Both the Arizona and Utah departments of transportation have paused their construction projects for the holidays. However, single lanes still can be expected in areas where construction already is taking place.
In Utah, this will be around the junction of Interstates 15 and 70 at mile 70 of I-15 by Cove Fort.
“We are still down to a single lane in each direction on I-70 crossing over I-15 at Cove Fort for bridge work but have not seen any residual problems there,” Kevin Kitchen, senior communications manager for UDOT, said in an email to St. George News.
People traveling through Utah can check UDOT’s traffic web page or traffic app for the latest road conditions.
On southbound I-15 through Arizona, ADOT is also suspending roadwork, which includes work being done on Bridge No. 1 through the Beaver Dam/Littlefield area at milepost 8-9.
Motorists can expect a measure of delay while passing through this area as it is limited to a single lane in both directions due to roadwork.
ADOT also recommends that drivers allow extra time if possible and be prepared for unscheduled closures or lane restrictions due to crashes, disabled vehicles or other incidents.
Packing an emergency kit can come in handy in case you encounter an unscheduled stop in traffic or need to pull over because of car troubles. Items to pack include:
- Extra bottled water
- Snack foods
- A flashlight and extra batteries
- Blankets
- Warm clothing
- First aid kit
Real-time highway conditions are available on ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov, by calling 511 and through ADOT’s Twitter feed, @ArizonaDOT.
Weather forecast
According to the National Weather Service, weather conditions from Beaver County south to Clark County, Nevada, leading up to Christmas are anticipated to run the range of mostly clear to partly cloudy with temperatures ranging from 11-to-60-plus degrees depending on the time of day and location.
North of Beaver County has the potential for rain and snow going into Wednesday with weather clearing up as the week continues, though the possibility for additional snowfall increases somewhat the farther north one travels.
Christmas Day is anticipated be partly-to-mostly sunny across the board.
As there will be ice and snow in parts of northern Utah, drivers are cautioned to pay attention to travel advisories and requirements related to winter driving.
“Given the colder temperatures this year, it would be wise to be prepared for potential ice due to thawing and freezing cycles where roads may be wet or over structures that have water or air running under them,” Kitchen said in his email. “We have had several canyons that required traction devices this past month.”
UDOT has information on requirements and routes that could potentially require traction devices here.
Links for seven-day forecasts as predicted by the National Weather Service are provided below:
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