U.S. airlines and highway travel see higher-than-expected demand as spring break season fuels early momentum for summer travel.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

Spring break travel across the United States is exceeding expectations this month, with millions of Americans packing airports and highways in what industry officials are calling a strong start to the 2025 travel season. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reported daily screenings between 2.5 million and 2.7 million passengers on peak days, as families, students, and vacationers take advantage of favorable conditions and flexible schedules.

In a statement provided to The Epoch Times, acting TSA director Adam Stahl said, “Spring break is one of the busiest travel times of the year. While we are focused on spring break, the TSA is also closely tracking and preparing for the summer travel season.”

Airlines for America (A4A), which represents major U.S. carriers, estimates that 173 million passengers will fly between March 1 and April 30—an increase of 4 percent from the same time last year. A4A spokeswoman Marli Collier said in an email that “U.S. airlines will utilize more flights and more seats each day—up 5 percent and 3 percent, respectively, from last year.”

While domestic air travel rises, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) confirmed that global airline revenues are on track to surpass $1 trillion in 2025 for the first time, despite challenges in the aircraft supply chain and tariff-related uncertainties. The IATA projects industry-wide net profits of $36.6 billion for the year.

On the ground, AAA reported that affordable gas prices in many parts of the country are encouraging travelers to drive. According to AAA’s weekly fuel price report, 31 states currently post average regular unleaded prices below $3.00 per gallon. The national average sits at $3.12 per gallon, up five cents from last week but still 40 cents cheaper than the same period in 2024. AAA confirmed the price increase is seasonal and linked to refineries switching to summer-blend fuel.

Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, told The Epoch Times, “This increase has nothing to do with politics or tariffs—which remain paused for now—but is instead the result of seasonality, and is something that happens almost every year.”

California continues to lead the nation with the highest average gas prices at $4.66 per gallon, followed by Hawaii ($4.54), Washington ($4.08), and Nevada ($3.74). Southeastern and Midwestern states remain the cheapest for motorists, with Mississippi ($2.64), Texas ($2.66), and Kentucky ($2.68) leading the pack.

For electric vehicle drivers, AAA reports the national average cost at public charging stations remains at $0.34 per kilowatt-hour. The cheapest states for EV charging include Kansas ($0.22), Missouri ($0.25), and Nebraska ($0.26). Hawaii ranks highest at $0.56 per kilowatt-hour, followed by West Virginia and Montana.

The travel momentum is expected to carry into the summer, with the season officially beginning on Memorial Day weekend. AAA spokeswoman Aixa Diaz noted that while the organization does not track spring break travel data, it will release projections ahead of Memorial Day. Last year, AAA estimated that 43.8 million Americans traveled 50 miles or more during the Memorial Day holiday period, just shy of the 2005 pre-pandemic record of 44 million.