AAA projects 45.1 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home over the Memorial Day holiday period (Thursday, May 22, to Monday, May 26). This year’s domestic travel forecast is an increase of 1.4 million travelers compared to last year, and sets a new Memorial Day weekend record.
“Despite concerns over rising prices, many Americans are planning to take advantage of the holiday, even if the trips are closer to home,” said Robert Sinclair of AAA Northeast. “Long holiday weekend getaways don’t have to be extravagant and having a day off from work and school allows many families to take a much-anticipated road trip.”
Memorial Day Travelers by Mode of Transportation
By Car: Road trips are driving the numbers this Memorial Day, with 87% of travelers choosing to drive. AAA projects 39.4 million people will travel by vehicle over the holiday weekend, an additional 1 million travelers compared to last year. Road trippers are benefiting from cheaper gas prices this year, with the average pump price in New York City down 68 cents from last year.
For drivers who are renting cars over Memorial Day weekend, AAA car rental partner Hertz says Friday, May 23, is expected to be the busiest day for pickup.
By Air: AAA projects 3.61 million domestic air passengers, a nearly 2% increase over last year when 3.55 million travelers took to the skies. AAA booking data shows domestic flights are two percent more expensive compared to last year, based on what travelers paid when booking Memorial Day weekend flights.
By Other Modes: Travel by other modes continues to steadily rise post-pandemic. AAA projects 2.08 million people will travel by train, bus or cruise over Memorial Day weekend, an 8.5 % increase over last year. This category is now surpassing pre-pandemic numbers from 2018 and 2019 as cruising continues to boom; it doesn’t reach the record numbers of the early 2000s, when many travelers opted for trains and buses rather than air travel.
Best and Worst Times to Drive
According to transportation data provider INRIX, travelers hoping to avoid the heaviest traffic over the Memorial Day weekend should hit the road in the morning. Boston/New York is among the metros that can expect the heaviest traffic.
