A record-breaking 14.8 million people are expected to travel through airports and vehicular crossings in the New York City area starting Monday, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
That includes 5.7 million passengers projected to pass through JFK, Newark Liberty, LaGuardia and New York Stewart International airports from Monday, Dec. 22, through Sunday, Jan. 4, officials said.
The surge continues a post-pandemic travel boom. Last year, international passenger levels exceeded pre-2020 numbers for the first time since the start of COVID-19.
But the return to travel hasn’t come without headaches. Flight delays and cancellations have been common, and MTA data shows this past summer was the subway system’s worst in seven years. During Thanksgiving weekend, some New Yorkers even chose alternate travel methods to avoid the chaos.
This year’s projected volume surpasses last year’s record by 1%, Port Authority officials said. The busiest air travel days are expected to be Dec. 22 and Dec. 28, followed by Dec. 23 and Dec. 29.
The agency is urging travelers to arrive early, at least two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international departures, and to consider public transit whenever possible.
To help ease congestion, the Port Authority will suspend non-emergency roadwork at its crossings from 5 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 23, through 5 a.m. Friday, Jan. 2, to accommodate the 9.1 million vehicles expected on area bridges and tunnels, officials said.
Still, overnight lane closures are planned Monday night at the Holland and Lincoln tunnels and the Outerbridge Crossing.
Additional alerts and travel tips for air and PATH train passengers are available on the Port Authority website.
