Every year, Christmas travel forecasts grab headlines and for good reason. If you’re planning to drive this festive season, you certainly won’t be alone. Motorway mayhem is almost guaranteed, and this year both the RAC and the AA are warning that record numbers of drivers are set to take to the UK’s roads in the run-up to Christmas.

A Record-Breaking Christmas Getaway

The 2025 festive travel period is shaping up to be one of the busiest on record. According to the RAC, a staggering 37.5 million journeys are expected to be made in the week leading up to Christmas Day. That’s the highest figure since records began in 2013, and an increase of 8 million trips compared to last year.

With so many people travelling to see family, finish Christmas shopping, or simply get away for the holidays, congestion across the UK’s road network looks inevitable.

When Will the Roads Be Busiest?

Data from both the RAC and the AA suggests the festive getaway will begin in earnest this weekend, with many drivers choosing to start their Christmas break after work on Friday 19 December.

With Christmas falling mid-week in 2025, motorists are clearly planning ahead to avoid what is expected to be a particularly frantic weekend. Around 18% of festive getaway journeys, approximately 6.5 million trips, are forecast to take place on Wednesday 17 and Thursday 18 December, as drivers attempt to beat the worst of the congestion.

The RAC expects the main surge in travel to begin on Friday 19 December, with 3.6 million journeys planned. Traffic levels are then set to peak on Saturday 20 December, commonly known as “Snarl-up Saturday”, when 4.1 million trips are expected. This would make it the busiest Saturday of any Christmas getaway period since records began in 2013.

A further 3.5 million journeys are forecast for Sunday 21 December, while an additional 5.3 million trips are expected to take place at some point between 19 and 21 December, with many drivers still undecided about exactly when they will travel.

A short lull in traffic is predicted at the start of Christmas week, as Monday and Tuesday remain normal working days for many people. During this period, around 3.1 million journeys are expected on Monday, followed by 3 million on Tuesday.

However, traffic volumes are set to rise sharply once again on Christmas Eve, with 4.2 million getaways predicted. This is expected to make Christmas Eve the single busiest travel day of the festive period, and potentially the busiest since the COVID years.

What Are People Doing on the Roads?

Alongside the usual mix of festive activities, the AA’s latest survey shows that a significant number of drivers will still be working in the days leading up to Christmas Day, adding further pressure to already busy roads.

• 26% of respondents expect to be travelling to work

• 14% will be picking up or dropping off relatives

• 49% plan to head out Christmas shopping

• 59% expect to be visiting family or friends

• Around 3% remain undecided about their plans

These everyday journeys, combined with festive social plans, are expected to keep roads busy throughout the run-up to Christmas.

Staying Local

For the second year in a row, the AA reports that most drivers are planning to stay relatively local, with the majority expecting to travel less than 50 miles before Christmas.

While this may reduce long-distance motorway journeys, it is likely to increase congestion around retail centres, town centres and motorway junctions, as shorter but more frequent trips stack up during peak periods.

Fewer than 5% of respondents expect to travel more than 100 miles on any day in the run-up to Christmas, and even fewer anticipate journeys exceeding 200 miles, reinforcing the trend towards shorter, local travel rather than long festive getaways.