NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — This year's holiday travel predictions from AAA are higher than they've ever been, with a 3% increase from last year and the second highest year-end travel volume since 2000.
AAA says more than 2.5 million Tennesseeans will drive to their destination for the holidays, and over 74,000 are expected to take a flight.
This being said, they provided some of the best and worst times to travel from Dec. 23 to Jan. 1 to help ease the traffic headache.
The best times to travel are before lunchtime or after 7 p.m.
As a reminder, AAA also gave a list of suggestions for how to make your trip to the airport easier if you are flying:
- Reserve a parking spot ahead of time to save time and money.
- Choose a well-lit, secure garage.
- On-site garages tend to be more expensive but offer convenience and peace of mind given their proximity to the terminals.
- If choosing off-site parking, look for reputable businesses like The Parking Spot [u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net], which is securely fenced and offers a shuttle to the airport (AAA members get a discount).
- Opt for covered parking if you live in an area expecting inclement weather.
- Remove valuables from your vehicle.
- Lock doors and roll up windows.
- Take a photo of your spot to remember where you parked.
- Keep your ticket – and receipt, if you prepaid – handy to show when exiting.
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
