While travel can often be stressful, New Year’s Day 2025 provided one of the more manageable travel experiences of the holiday season. With fewer passengers than Christmas Day, the airports saw relatively smooth sailing for those flying on the first day of the year.
Many travelers took precautions and arrived early, anticipating potential lines for bag checks and security. Chastity Russ, a Maryland native, and her family gave themselves two and a half hours to reach their gate—but ended up breezing through. “We didn’t need it at all,” Russ said. “We actually went through very quickly. This one was worried about a hiccup through security, but no. It was great.”
However, the quiet period didn’t last long. After Wednesday, passenger numbers began to rise, with approximately 20,000 more travelers expected to pass through airports on Thursday.
“Flying on the first of the year is always a good day,” said passenger Yuri Streciwik, reflecting the sentiment of many who benefited from the relatively light travel day. The busiest travel day of the remaining holiday season is expected to be January 4.
