WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Holiday travel is expected to reach record highs this year, according to AAA, with travel beginning Saturday and continuing through the start of the new year.
AAA estimates nearly 122.1 million people will travel more than 50 miles for the holidays, with Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and Miami ranking in the top three domestic destinations nationwide.
Travelers on Saturday said the region’s warm weather, seasonal attractions and family gatherings are drawing visitors from near and far.
WATCH WPTV'S COVERAGE BELOW:
One popular stop for holiday visitors is the Sandi Tree in downtown West Palm Beach, a seasonal display made entirely of sand.
“It’s just something different, normally you go to places and they have a green tree, here they have the sand tree,” said Charles Henderson, a local resident.
Tourists say the attraction has become part of their holiday tradition.
“We came here last year for the holidays at the same time, enjoyed the tree just walking around, just enjoying the music and the people,” said Kathleen James.
Some visitors drove into the area, while others flew into Palm Beach International Airport, where travelers reported mixed experiences navigating the busy holiday travel period.
“No issues at all. I was dropped off and at my gate in 15 minutes,” Perez said.
Another traveler described a more challenging experience.
“Denver was a zoo. It was wild,” said Winston Williams.
Weather across the country has already caused disruptions. According to FlightAware, over 60 delays and three cancellations were reported in and out of Palm Beach International Airport on Saturday. Hundreds of additional delays were reported at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
Some travelers faced last-minute changes to their holiday plans.
“There were ground stops and ground delays and our flight was eventually—the inbound plane was diverted to Hartford and then our flight was canceled at ten o’clock last night, so my daughter, my dog and I regrouped and flew into PBI this morning,” said traveler Julie Lux.
Despite delays and cancellations, many travelers said arriving safely was what mattered most as Christmas approaches.
Portions of this story were assisted by artificial intelligence tools and reviewed by a WPTV journalist to ensure accuracy, clarity, and adherence to editorial standards.
