When is the worst time to travel this Easter 2024?

Americans, especially those in more northern climes, look forward to Spring Break as a chance to travel to locations with more temperate weather. In 2024, however, when getting there or back, those on vacation may encounter more holidaymakers than usual.

That’s because Easter is being celebrated at its earliest date since 2016 which means that it is overlapping with Spring Break for many US school districts. Both the Friday before and the Monday after Easter Sunday will see a far higher percentage of students on break than previous years.

When is the worst time to travel this Easter 2024?

According to Smith Travel Research data, on Good Friday, 29 March, 57 percent of the roughly 50 million K12 students will be on break, that is almost four times the number compared to 2023. The percentage is just slightly less for the Monday after Easter Sunday.

Those who will be traveling during Holy Week can expect to be sharing the road or waiting in line at the airport with an increased number of fellow travelers on the Thursday and Friday proceeding Easter Sunday and on the Monday after. Fortunately, due to the staggered nature of Spring Break holidays in the United States compared to the busiest travel times during the year, Thanksgiving, Christmas and the 4th of July holiday, there haven’t been any dire warnings from travel agencies.

However, that is not the case in the United Kingdom. The Royal Automobile Club (RAC), the British equivalent of AAA, has warned of “carmageddon” for holidaymakers.

UK airports are expected to be congested at varying times during Holy Week, kicking off on Maundy Thursday as vacationers take advantage of lower prices and look to get a jump start on their holiday. Travel is expected to be busy over the Easter holiday weekend and the Monday after could see long lines at passport control to enter the UK.