Airports, highways and terminals across the country will be brimming and bustling this weekend, but central Arkansas officials expect a smooth and efficient start to what is expected to be a record-breaking holiday travel season.
Nationwide, more than 115 million people will spend their Christmas holiday away from home, according to AAA, which translates to an increase of nearly 4% compared with last year's numbers.
A booming economy, coupled with a slight decrease in gas prices, have paved the way for another unprecedented season in terms of travel volume. AAA Travel announced this week that 2019 will mark the eighth time in a row of year-end holiday record-high travel volumes.
The season starts today and lasts through Jan. 5.
While more travelers are hitting the roads and wading through airport security lines, there should be only marginal delays, if any, said Mark Howell, a regional spokesman for the Transportation Security Administration.
Unlike concentrated holidays such as Thanksgiving, July 4 and Memorial Day, people going out of town for the holiday season have two weeks to work with, and they can stagger their departure and return dates, Howell said.
"Some will come back the weekend after Christmas, some will come back just before the New Year, and some will come back after that," Howell said. "It's going to be busy, but none of our single-day [travel] records have fallen during a Christmas or New Year break."
Shane Carter, a spokesman for the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field, confirmed that the busiest days never fall in late December, although most flights are expected to be full.
"You don't often see the congestion you would see at Thanksgiving, at least not for an airport of our size," Carter said.
More than 6,100 air travelers will leave or arrive at the Little Rock airport today, while another 5,300 or so are expected to pass through Saturday, he said.
One aspect of holiday travel that could cause disruptions is the high volume of people who don't fly at any other time during the year, so they often aren't as prepared, Carter said.
Weather isn't expected to cause any additional stress for most travelers this year.
Erik Green, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in North Little Rock, said there will be "calm weather patterns" throughout the weekend and during the days leading to Christmas. Temperatures in Little Rock will remain above freezing at night and could creep up into the 60s on some days, according to the forecast.
"We're expecting no major weather," Green said. "It's going to be pretty mild."
Similar weather is expected for the major travel hubs in the South and Midwest. Atlanta, Charlotte and Chicago will have normal, seasonal weather leading up to the holiday, although there may be some rain in Chicago on Christmas Day.
Gas prices throughout Arkansas have dipped slightly during the past month, dropping from an average of $2.30 per gallon in mid-November to $2.26 this week. Pump prices remain higher compared with this time last year, when the average cost for a gallon of gas was $2.03, according to AAA.
Across the country, there will be nearly 105 million people on the roads, an increase of nearly 4 million from the previous year, according to AAA.
Danny Straessle, a spokesman for the Arkansas Department of Transportation, said there will be a reduction in construction on major highways during the holiday season, but there will be about 40 miles of lane closures to contend with in Arkansas.
The two most crucial spots, he said, will be the Interstate 530 bypass in Pine Bluff and a 20-mile stretch of Interstate 30 near Prescott. Traffic flow will be reduced to one lane in both places.
Motorists are encouraged to visit idrivearkansas.com for information on road conditions and alternative routes.
Straessle said highway conditions should be more manageable compared with Thanksgiving, but travelers should be alert for traffic jams near shopping centers, especially this weekend when many will try to wrap up their Christmas shopping.
"You're more going to see higher-level traffic at the local level, on the city grid," he said.
A Section on 12/20/2019