Driving home after Christmas? Here are the best and worst times for holiday travel

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A motorcycle officer weaves through traffic on a Los Angeles freeway during the evening rush hour on April 12, 2023. (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)

ATLANTA - The highways are going to get busy as millions of Americans hit the road to head home after the holiday season.

AAA reports an estimated 104 million people drove to their holiday destinations this year - an increase of 1.8% compared to 2022.

That's the second-highest number of projected drivers on record - trailing only 2019.

Transportation data analyzers INRIX said that Tuesday through Saturday will be some of the busiest times of year for drivers, with Thursday, Dec. 28 as the most congested day on the road during the post-holiday travel period.

"Nationwide, drivers could see travel times up to 20% longer this holiday season. In major metros, especially in Denver, Minneapolis, and Washington, DC, drivers could experience nearly double the typical delays," said Bob Pishue, a transportation analyst at INRIX. "Avoid peak commuting hours and use traffic apps, local DOT notifications, and 511 services to minimize holiday travel traffic frustrations."

Travelers heading home after the holidays

The world's busiest airport in Atlanta is expecting around 3.3 million passengers to pass through the terminals during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.

Experts say the earlier you can get on your way, the better - with most of the bad traffic happening after lunchtime.

Here are the best and worst times to travel if you're heading back after the holidays.

Tuesday, Dec. 26