Airlines for America (A4A) projects that U.S. airlines will see record air travel throughout the holiday season and expects more than 54 million passengers to fly on U.S. carriers from Thursday, December 19 – Monday, January 6.

U.S. carriers are prepared to fly more than 2.8 million passengers per day on average—up 6 percent from last year’s holiday period. To meet this demand, U.S. airlines are offering 140,000 more seats each day than they did during the 2023 Winter holiday period.

A4A expects the busiest days to fly will be Friday, December 20; Sunday, December 22; Thursday, December 26; Friday, December 27; and Sunday, December 29. For additional industry data, visit A4A’s Impact page.

A4A member carriers are also working around the clock to move packages – including holiday gifts – across the country and around the world this holiday season. U.S. airlines transport more than 60,000 tons of goods on a daily basis including high-value electronics, clothing, household goods, fresh food and flowers, live animals and medical supplies—and the perfect gift for a loved one.

A4A carriers have made significant investments in technology to make sure passengers can stay up to date on flight announcements, baggage tracking, in-flight entertainment and more. A4A’s cargo carriers also offer various technologies to track packages during the holidays. We encourage travelers to take advantage of these technologies and download their carrier’s app as soon as they purchase a ticket or ship a package.

Travelers are also encouraged to ensure they have a REAL ID. Starting May 7, 2025, all air travel passengers will be required to have a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or another acceptable form of identification to fly within the United States. To learn more about how to obtain a REAL ID, click here.