American airports and roads are expecting an immense number of travelers for the 2025 holiday season. CBS News' Andres Gutierrez reports.

The holiday travel season in the United States is underway, with AAA projecting that more than 122 million people will travel at least 50 miles between now and New Year's. Airlines expect to carry nearly 53 million passengers, and the TSA is preparing to screen over 44 million travelers during this period.

Despite efforts by airlines to add seats and flights, most planes are full and weather remains a significant risk for delays and cancellations. Gas prices have dropped below $3 per gallon, leading to increased road travel and congested highways. Officials recommend that travelers allow extra time for both flights and road trips to accommodate potential disruptions.

U.S. airports, roads crowded as holiday travel season starts

Americans are on the move trying to beat the holiday rush. Triple A expects more than 122 million people will travel at least 50 miles between now and New Year's. That's more than one third of the population. Airlines say they expect to fly nearly 53 million passengers over the holidays, but some are already dealing with major delays and cancellations. CBS News reporter Andres Gutierrez is live at LAX for us today. Andres, I see it's kind of busy behind you. Tell us what's the latest out there. Well, good day Mugu. Right now there is a steady stream of travelers checking in here at Terminal 7 at LAX. Up in the skies, they should anticipate a smooth ride. So far nationwide, there have been 90 delays, 90 cancellations I should say, and 2,100 delays, which for those folks who are navigating that, that's tough luck. But for those big picture look here, it's not as bad given that the holiday travel season is expected to shatter records. Airlines tell us that this is one of those holiday seasons where the volume does not really dip in between Christmas and New Year's days. It ends up staying heavy day after day, averaging nearly 3 million flyers a day. To meet that demand, carriers are adding seats and flights, but most of those planes are full and that's when weather ends up mattering most. Airlines are monitoring storms up in the Northeast as well out here in the West because even the smallest disruption can end up creating a ripple-wide effect when crews and their planes end up arriving late for the next flight. Security is also another pressure point out here. The TSA is expected to screen over 44 million travelers during this holiday period. The agency says they are fully staffed and prepared, but they're still urging travelers to give themselves some extra time. Security lines can look very light at one point, but then they can spike once they end up, when there are several flights that end up departing all at once. Officials do say that the early birds that get out here are the best, safest bet to avoid getting delayed. And on the ground, there are a lot of people who are hitting the roads because gas prices are under $3, the lowest they have been in years, and that means that highways are gonna be jammed today, tomorrow, and the day after Christmas. So again, airlines saying that they are better prepared than they have in previous years, but with all the demand and the risk of weather, that there still could be a chance for error as well as delays and cancellations. Oh yeah, for sure. So we'll be monitoring that throughout this week. And it's so important, as you said earlier, Andres, to make sure people give themselves extra time because you just never know what's gonna happen. Andres Gutierrez at LAX for us today. Thank you so much.

China's foreign ministry on Monday (December 22) said the United States' seizure of another country's ships was a serious violation of international law, after the U.S. intercepted a China-bound oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast.

Beijing

China says U.S. ship seizures ‘serious violation' of international law

U.S. President Donald Trump named Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry on Sunday as his special envoy to Greenland, drawing renewed criticism from Denmark and Greenland over Washington's interest in the mineral-rich Arctic island.

Nuuk

Trump appoints special envoy to Greenland, stirs backlash

A Russian general was killed by an explosive device underneath his car in Moscow, according to Russian investigators, who say Ukraine's intelligence services may have orchestrated the attack. Ukraine has not commented.

Moscow

Ukraine Invasion

Russian general killed in car explosion

The U.S. Coast Guard is pursuing an oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela, officials told Reuters on Sunday (December 21), in what would be the third operation in less than two weeks if successful.

Caracas

U.S. pursuing third oil tanker near Venezuela, officials say

At least 15 documents related to Jeffrey Epstein that were initially made public have been pulled from the Justice Department website. The agency says it will keep reviewing and redacting materials to "protect victims."

Washington

Epstein files pulled down to 'protect victims'

Nine people have died and at least ten others were wounded after a group of gunmen carried out a shooting at a South African pub during the early hours of Sunday, authorities said.

Bekkersdal

At least nine people killed in South Africa pub shooting

U.S. intelligence reports continue to warn that Russian President Vladimir Putin has not abandoned his aims of capturing all of Ukraine and reclaiming parts of Europe that belonged to the former Soviet empire, six sources familiar with U.S. intelligence said.

As peace talks go on, U.S. intel says Putin's war goals unchanged

A court in Pakistan has convicted and sentenced the imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to 17 years in prison after finding them guilty of retaining and selling state gifts, including jewelry given by Saudi Arabia in 2021.

Islamabad

Former Pakistani PM Imran Khan convicted to 17 years in prison

The U.S. seized an oil tanker off Venezuela's coast on Saturday. It's the second time in two weeks that U.S. forces have carried out such an action. This comes after President Donald Trump announced a block of "sanctioned oil vessels" entering and exiting Venezuela.

Oil tanker seized off Venezuela, second in two weeks

The Justice Department released more documents related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on Saturday after failing to meet Friday's deadline to release all the documents, as required by the law signed by President Trump last month. The Justice Department said the delay was, in part, to ensure that victims' information was protected.

Justice Department releases more Epstein documents Saturday

The U.S. Department of Justice released thousands of documents, photos and files related to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on Friday. But some Democrats are criticizing the partial release because the department had a deadline to release all of the files by end of Friday.

'Partial' release of Epstein files faces criticism

The United States military “hit the ISIS [ISIL] thugs in Syria”, President Donald Trump has said, a week after two US soldiers and an interpreter were killed in Syria’s Palmyra city. Trump said he “ordered a massive strike on the terrorists that killed our three great patriots last week”.

Damascus

Trump says U.S has launched large-scale attacks on ISIL in Syria

Ukraine said its drones hit a vessel from Russia's shadow fleet – the first such strike in the neutral waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Russia's shadow fleet transports sanctioned Russia oil by frequently changing flags and concealing ownership.

Ukraine strikes Russian shadow fleet tanker in Mediterranean sea

The U.S. Justice Department has released thousands of files relating to Jeffrey Epstein, including photos featuring people like former President Bill Clinton and Mick Jagger. However, survivors are concerned with how much information was redacted from the files.

Thousands of new Epstein files, photos released

The U.S. military launched large-scale strikes against dozens of Islamic State targets in Syria on Friday (December 19) in retaliation for an attack on American personnel, U.S. officials said.

U.S. hits ISIS in Syria with large retaliatory strikes

The man suspected of carrying out an attack in Taiwan with a smoke grenade and knife acted alone, police said on Saturday of the incident that killed at least four, including the attacker. This edit contains graphic images.

Taipei City

Taipei attacker acted alone, police say after three killed

The suspect in the Dec. 13 mass shooting on the campus of Brown University was found dead by suicide in a storage unit in Salem, New Hampshire, authorities said. He has been identified as 48-year-old Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, a former Brown grad student.

Providence

How a Reddit post led police to the suspected university shooter

Seven people were killed, including former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his wife and children, in a plane crash in North Carolina. Investigators hope to find clues about why it happened on the cockpit voice recorder. Cristian Benavides has the latest.

Plane crash kills NASCAR driver, family

President Trump announced new agreements on Friday with nine pharmaceutical companies aimed at making certain prescription drugs cheaper. CBS News reporter Karen Hua has the details.

Trump announces agreements with major drugmakers to lower prices

The U.S. Justice Department released a new trove of documents from its investigations into the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on Friday, bowing to pressure from lawmakers who forced their disclosure with a new law.

Washington County

Justice Department releases new tranche of Epstein files

The Justice Department has released a new batch of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. CBS News legal reporter Katrina Kaufman has more.

Combing through newly released Epstein files

TikTok has signed a deal to sell its U.S. operations to a group of investors in America, a source familiar with the deal tells CBS News.

TikTok nears deal to avoid ban in the U.S.

Russian President Vladimir Putin reacted to the European Union's massive $108 billion loan to fund Ukraine's war against Russia.

Kyiv

European Union loans Ukraine billions as Putin boasts about war

The war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, continues to take a heavy toll on civilians, particularly in frontline areas such as Zaporizhzhia, where fighting and shelling persist.

Putin accuses Kyiv of rejecting peaceful settlement

The man believed to be responsible for carrying out the Brown University shooting and killing an MIT professor was found dead in a storage unit in New Hampshire on Thursday, officials said.

Salem

Suspect in Brown and MIT shootings found dead

Australia will launch a national gun buyback program in the aftermath of a deadly attack on a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney's Bondi Beach, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

Council of the City of Sydney

Australia announces gun buyback program after Bondi Beach shooting

TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, signed binding agreements with American investors to allow the U.S. arm of the business to continue operating.

TikTok signs deal to allow app to continue operating in the U.S.

Under a law passed by Congress and signed by President Trump, the Justice Department has until Friday to release its files on the Jeffrey Epstein case. House Democrats released more photos from the estate of the convicted sex offender. Scott MacFarlane reports.

House Democrats release more Epstein photos ahead of DOJ deadline

The European Commission announced it will delay the signing of the Mercosur trade agreement until the new year after Meloni asked for more time. No date has been set. Backers hope deal won't be further derailed.

Brussels

Mercosur signature delayed to January after Meloni asked for more time

President Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III drug. CBS News White House reporter Aaron Navarro has more on that and the president's year-end address from Wednesday night.

Breakdown