Despite stormy weather and a possible government shutdown, millions of people were preparing Friday to travel across the state and country for the holiday.
The American Automobile Association estimated that 119.3 million people would travel 50 miles or more for the holiday between Dec. 21 and Jan. 1. This year, domestic travel is expected to surpass the previous record set in 2019 by some 64,000 people, according to a report. release from the association. They also estimate that 3 million more people will return home for the holidays this year compared to 2023.
In California alone, an estimated 16 million people travel for the holidays, AAA said. About 14 million people will travel to their destination by car, while 1.4 million will fly and some 500,000 people will use other modes of transportation, such as trains, buses or cruises.
Several storm systems were forecast for the Bay Area this weekend and next week, potentially creating rumbles for those on the roads or in the air, said Joe Merchant, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. The first round of wind and rain was expected to begin Friday evening and last through the weekend, with the bulk of its impact felt Saturday. On Monday, another atmospheric river system is expected to arrive in the region, bringing strong winds and heavier rain on Tuesday.
Christmas Day will see a break in the stormy weather before another system arrives on Thursday; Rainy conditions are expected to reappear at the end of next week.
Merchant said driving in the rain this weekend wouldn’t be too bad, but with heavy rain and winds expected Tuesday across most of the Bay Area, there could be driving hazards and possible injuries. localized flooding just before the holidays, particularly in North Bay and Marin County. Due to the expected wind on Tuesday, he also said it was possible flights could be affected by the weather.
AAA officials said the best times to travel by car over the next few days would likely be Saturday morning and early afternoon, then Sunday and Monday morning. The afternoons of all three days are expected to see significant travel times on the roads, making traffic more likely.
In the Bay Area, AAA predicted some of the most congested conditions on eastbound Interstate 80 from San Francisco to Napa, particularly Saturday evening; travelers using this highway could need approximately two hours and two minutes to reach their destination, an 82% increase in travel time.
Although 90% of holiday travel is by drivers, 7.85 million people nationwide are expected to travel by plane, breaking the record for air travelers set last year, which was 7.5 million.
Doug Yakel, public information officer at San Francisco International Airport, said 6.3 million people are expected to travel through the facility between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, an estimated increase of 15%. compared to 2023 holiday travel levels. He said Sunday was expected to be the busiest day, with 161,000 passengers.
About 300,000 people are expected to pass through San Jose Mineta International Airport between Dec. 19 and Jan. 5, according to an airport news release.
Oakland International Airport officials said more than 500,000 passengers are expected to use the airport to travel to their vacation destinations between Dec. 20 and Jan. 6. The airport anticipated that their busiest days would be the Fridays immediately before and after Christmas.
1 of 8
Develop
“Our terminals are fully decorated in holiday decor and we look forward to welcoming vacationing travelers in the new year,” said Craig Simon, Port of Oakland aviation director. “We hope passengers enjoy the return of our gift-wrapping station as well as performances from local Bay Area musicians.”
Airport spokespeople advised passengers to check in for their flight before arriving at the airport and to monitor their flight status for any delays or cancellations. They also advised people to book parking at airports as early as possible; The San Jose Airport was offering a 15% discount on parking reservations through January 6. They also advised travelers to show up for their flight two hours before departure time if it is a domestic flight or three hours before if it is an international flight.
Although a government shutdown was still possible — potentially starting Friday at 9 p.m. PT — airport spokespeople were relatively unalarmed. Ana State, deputy public information officer at San Jose Mineta International Airport, said “there is no information indicating that (the airport) will be affected by a possible government shutdown” and said said it was in close contact with its local partners and monitoring. the situation.
Yakel said San Francisco International Airport doesn’t expect much impact from a government shutdown. Their security screeners are not from the Transportation Security Administration, and “other federal positions are considered essential and would continue to be staffed,” he said in an email.
Kaley Skantz, a spokeswoman for Oakland International Airport, said if the government were to close its doors, employees of the TSA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Federal Aviation Administration would work without pay until funds were available. Although she said the airport does not expect significant operational impacts due to a possible closure, she advised passengers to arrive early for their flights in the event of a government shutdown, in case it There would be a shortage of personnel at checkpoints.
During the last major shutdown, which began just before Christmas 2018 and lasted more than a month, some TSA agents refused to work without pay, leading to longer lines for security checks at some airports.
