Heading home for the holidays might be…hectic. The Port Authority End-Of-Year Travel Advisory suggests that New Yorkers are in for recording-breaking numbers, so perhaps you should ask Santa if you can hitch a ride on his sleigh this year.
From Saturday, December 21st, 2024, to Thursday, January 2nd 2025, 13.8 million travelers are expected to use Port Authority NY NJ’s airports and vehicular crossings, totaling a three percent increase from 2023, but less than the 18 million from Thanksgiving 2024. (If these stats seem daunting, 119 million Americans are traveling this season.)
Over 5 million people are set to make their way through JFK, Newark, and LaGuardia throughout the 13-day timeframe, so arriving early is the name of the game. (We know, we know.) All passengers on domestic flights should arrive to the airport at least two hours in advance of their departure time and passengers on international flights should arrive at the airports at least three hours in advance, per the Port Authority. If you want to say super ahead of schedule, check wait times via each airport’s website.
Should train travel be your method of transportation this December, note that Path trains will operate on a modified Saturday schedule on both Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. The full Path schedule during the holidays is available online.
If you’re a New Yorker who has a car and plans to drive (kudos to you), there are 8 million drivers expected to hit the road over this 13-day period, which is consistent with last year’s stats. For a full list of lane closures on bridges, tunnels, and beyond, visit the Port Authority website.
Our advice? Leave extra wiggle room to accommodate for any delays and leave during an off-time. May the force be with you while traveling this holiday season. Here’s hoping we won’t be getting an unexpected snowstorm.