3.1 million Georgians expected to travel this holiday season

Expect heavy traffic on local roadways Wednesday, Dec. 20 and Thursday, Dec. 21 as holiday traffic in metro Atlanta peaks.  ALYSSA POINTER/ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM

Expect heavy traffic on local roadways Wednesday, Dec. 20 and Thursday, Dec. 21 as holiday traffic in metro Atlanta peaks.  ALYSSA POINTER/ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM

This year, more than 107 million American will travel during the holiday period extending from Sat., Dec. 23 through Mon., Jan 1, according to data from AAA.

The number marks the highest year-end travel volume on record -- an increase of 3.1 percent compared to last year.

Locally, 3.1 million Georgians will travel 50 miles or more from home with 2.8 million traveling by car, 171,000 traveling by air and 114,000  million traveling on trains, buses, rails and cruise ships.

Related: Don't get scammed over holiday travel 

Anyone on the roads can expect to see the most traffic congestion on Dec. 20 and Dec. 21. In Atlanta, the worst time to be on the road is Thursday, Dec. 21 between 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.

That’s when the roads are most likely to include both commuters leaving work and holiday travelers heading out of town multiplying metro-area travel delays by 1.5.

If you’re heading out of town, leave in the early morning, after the morning communte or on the holiday itself to avoid heavy travel times, said AAA experts.

The number of Georgians traveling by air has increased 3.5 percent (5,700) over last year. That increase could be due in part to lower airfares.

Holiday airfares are almost 20 percent cheaper than last year thanks to lower fuel costs, competition and other factors.