• Holiday air travel averaged nearly 2.6 million daily passengers in 2024, surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
• Florida recorded the fifth-largest surge in the nation, with holiday traffic increasing by $+12.2\%$ to an average of 342,730 daily passengers.
• The smallest category of airports (nonhub nonprimary) experienced the largest percentage surge in traffic, recording a $+20.1\%$ increase during the holiday season.
• The federal Airport Infrastructure Grant (AIG) program is providing $\$14.5$ billion in funding over five years to help airports manage these traffic surges through infrastructure upgrades.

A new analysis by Luxury Link, utilizing 2024 TSA data, offers insights into the expected surge in passenger traffic across U.S. airports during the upcoming holiday season. The report highlights the recovery of air travel since the pandemic, noting that average daily passenger traffic during the 2024 holiday season averaged nearly 2.6 million, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Overall, traffic during the holiday season (Thanksgiving through the winter holidays) saw an average increase of $+5.4\%$ nationwide compared to non-holiday periods.

The surge in traffic varies significantly by airport size and state. The smallest airports, categorized as nonhub nonprimary, experienced the most dramatic growth, recording a $+20.1\%$ increase in daily passenger traffic during the holidays. Among states, Florida saw the fifth-largest surge, with traffic increasing by $+12.2\%$ to an average of 342,730 passengers daily, driven by its status as a major tourist destination. Individual large hubs like Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International (FLL) topped the list with a $+17.3\%$ increase.

Conversely, colder states like Alaska ($-23.2\%$) and Maine ($-27.4\%$) experienced steep declines in air travel during the holiday season. To better manage these traffic spikes, the Airport Infrastructure Grant (AIG) program is investing $\$14.5$ billion over five years to support necessary infrastructure improvements, such as terminal expansions and baggage system upgrades. This investment aims to help airports better handle the challenge of managing peak holiday demand.