US Airlines See Record Holiday Travel Even as Airfares Climb

US airlines expect to ferry a record number of passengers over the holidays after a year in which economic uncertainty and a government shutdown have whipsawed travel demand.

A daily average of 2.9 million passengers will travel between Dec. 19 and Jan. 5, 1.5% more than a year ago, the Airlines for America lobby group said in a statement.

Domestic airfares over the period will average $900 for a round trip, or 7% more than in 2024, the American Automobile Association said in a separate statement.

Travelers at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport on Dec. 21.

Photographer: Matthew Hatcher/Bloomberg

New York and New Jersey airports are expecting a record 5.7 million ...