Maine holiday travel is expected to equal or exceed by a small margin that of last year.

In other words, a typical holiday travel season, according to Aimee Thibodeau, a spokesperson for Bangor International Airport.

“Our projections are that we’re going to be close (to) if not more than what we had last Christmas, which was a record December for us,” she said.

With Christmas falling on a Wednesday, Thibodeau said, people will be traveling throughout the weekends before and after the holiday, along with during the week next week. 

“We’re going to see this travel season, this holiday period extended a little bit just because of the nature of the day that Christmas falls on this year,” she said.

Zachary Sundquist, assistant airport director at Portland Jetport, said he expects nearly 90,000 people will pass through the airport from Dec. 19 through Jan. 2 of 2025. That’s up from just over 73,000 reported during roughly the same period last year.

On the roads, Maine Turnpike Authority Spokesperson Rebecca Grover said Christmas tends to not generate high traffic, and this year, with the holiday on a Wednesday, travel will be spread out.

“It’s on a different day of the week every year,” she said. 

Data so far suggests a small increase in volume over last year. Data for 2024 through November shows only an overall traffic volume increase of 4.5%, with an increase of 3.3% recorded in December so far compared to December 2023.

Weather is unlikely to be a huge factor this year. Nikki Becker, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Gray, said the only real weather event next week will be Monday night into Tuesday, when a small system passes through.

Exact snowfall projections are not yet available, but Becker said, “Right now, it just looks like light snow.”

“Air travel, takeoffs, landings shouldn’t be an issue,” she said. 

Still, Sundquist said, one can never be sure what air travel will be like elsewhere in the country.

“We do not expect any major lines or peaks in traffic here in Portland, but travelers should expect the connecting hubs to be busy,” he said.

Sundquist encouraged passengers to arrive at the airport at least 90 minutes prior to departure, and Thibodeau suggested arriving two hours early.

Grover offered the usual advice to drivers: Slow down, give yourself extra time, and have a little more patience with fellow drivers. 

Grover also reminded drivers with objects attached to or towed by vehicles to double-check to make sure items are secure. 

Over the years, she said, turnpike officials have heard reports of all manner of objects in the road, from ATVs to kayaks to bicycles falling onto the highway.

“We don’t want that stuff flying off as you go to have fun,” she said.