Many call it the unofficial start of summer: the Memorial Day holiday weekend. AAA predicted record travel beginning Thursday, May 22 and ending Monday, May 26.
AAA anticipates that 45.1 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home, an increase of 1.4 million from last year. This would also break the record of 44 million travelers set in 2005.
Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, said many families pack up the car and drive to the beach or take a road trip to visit friends. She added in a statement that the extra day off from work or school affords people the flexibility to take a short trip.
The vast majority of travelers, 39.4 million or 87%, are going by car. They will be greeted by cheaper gas prices than in recent years. According to GasBuddy, the average price for regular unleaded gas on Wednesday, May 21, was $3.18 a gallon. The website has a page where travelers can find the cheapest gas prices in each state.
What are the best and worst times to travel?
AAA said the best time to drive is generally before noon or 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 22, Friday, May 23 and Saturday, May 24. On Sunday, May 25 and Monday, May 26, it’s before 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., respectively. Experts advised hitting the roads during the morning hours in major cities such as Boston, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.
The worst times to drive are Thursday, May 22, between 1 p.m. and 9 p.m., Friday, May 23, between noon and 8 p.m., Saturday, May 24, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday, May 25, between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. and on the holiday itself, Monday, May 26, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. as people head home.
What is the expectation at the airports?
AAA said 3.61 million Americans will fly for Memorial Day. That’s an increase of 1.8% from last year and up 12.3% since 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020. It will be expensive, with the average round trip to popular destinations such as Chicago, New York, Orlando, Denver and Seattle costing in the $850 range.
About 2 million people are expected to take some other form of transportation, such as a train or bus, up 8.5% from 2024.
