National Plan for Vacation Day (NPVD) is Tuesday, January 28, 2025. It takes place annually on the last Tuesday in January as a day to encourage Americans to plan their vacation days for the entire year at the start of the year. The early bird gets to pack their bags and fly away to a little fun and relaxation – and the early bird has their choice of flights, accommodations, and amenities that are often sold out later in the year.

After record breaking travel for most holidays in 2024, 2025 is expected to be another busy year at airports, resorts, and on cruise ships. AAA projects 19 million Americans will go on ocean cruises this year, a 4.5% increase over 2024, when 18.2 million Americans went on cruise vacations. 2025 is expected to be the third straight year of record cruise passenger volume. The cruise industry has rebounded post-pandemic more strongly than other travel segments, and cruise demand growth has exceeded hotel demand growth the last two years.

Other popular travel trends for 2025 include river cruising, National Parks, multi-generational travel, adventure travel, health and wellness themed trips, and a continued focus on celebration travel (all of life’s milestones with family and friends).

With demand on the rise, NPVD is an opportunity for Americans to look ahead and make plans for getaways or vacations over the coming months before inventory runs out. Planning is the key to taking time off and traveling.

With winter weather in Western and Central New York, it’s easy for area residents to dream about a getaway, but NPVD is a reminder to make that a reality before time slips away. Studies show that each year, Americans leave more than 600 million vacation days unused. Workaholic attitudes are keeping workers at their desks rather than at the beach. But the truth is workers earn those vacation days, and they’re entitled to use them.

“Each year, AAA Western and Central New York celebrates National Plan for Vacation Day, which is the perfect time to look over the calendar and commit to a well-deserved trip,” said Josie Nicotra, Director of Travel at AAA Western and Central New York. “And AAA’s professional travel advisors are ready to guide travelers every step of the way — before, during, and after their trip.”

When it comes to taking a vacation, planners are more likely to have a satisfying vacation – they’re more likely to take all their vacation time in a given work year and take more extended vacations than non-planners. They are also happier with their jobs, relationships, and health. So now is the time to get planning, and AAA travel advisors are on standby to assist in making those vacation dreams a reality.

AAA recommends working with a travel advisor to help plan a vacation complete with travel insurance. To get started and to learn more, visit AAA.com/Travel.