AAA forecasts 45 million Memorial Day travelers

AAA said 45 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home over the Memorial Day holiday period from Thursday, May 21, through Monday, May 25, setting a new record for the weekend. The forecast, released May 11, is slightly above last year’s level and covers trips by car, plane and other modes of transportation. AAA said 39.1 million people are expected to drive and 3.66 million are projected to fly domestically. Average round-trip domestic airfare for the weekend is about $800, according to AAA booking data. ### How much of the holiday surge is coming from drivers? AAA said drivers will account for the vast majority of Memorial Day travelers this year. The group projected 39.1 million people will travel by car, compared with 3.66 million who are expected to fly domestically. Other travel by bus, train and cruise is projected to rise 5.3% to 2.2 million, helped in part by the Alaska cruise season, according to AAA. (newsroom.aaa.com) Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, said in the group’s release that Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer and that many Americans use the three-day weekend for trips with family and friends. AAA said the overall total is slightly higher than last year and would set a Memorial Day weekend record. (newsroom.aaa.com) ### What does AAA say about airfare and booking costs? AAA said the average round-trip domestic flight for Memorial Day weekend is about $800. Yahoo, citing AAA data, reported that fare is 6% cheaper than last year for travelers who booked before rising jet fuel prices fed into airfare. (inrix.com) AAA also said domestic car rentals are 1% cheaper than a year ago for the holiday weekend. Hertz, AAA’s car-rental partner, expects Thursday and Friday to be the busiest pickup days, with Orlando, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Boston the top five markets by demand. ### When are the worst times to be on the road? (yahoo.com) INRIX, the transportation-data company cited by AAA, said the heaviest congestion is expected on Thursday and Friday between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., and again Monday afternoon. AAA said Sunday should be the lightest day for traffic, barring unexpected incidents on the road. (newsroom.aaa.com) AAA said higher gas prices are not stopping travelers this year, though pump prices are above last Memorial Day weekend. The group said the national average for regular gasoline was $3.17 on Memorial Day last year, while current prices are the highest since the summer of 2022. ### What else is AAA warning travelers to watch? (newsroom.aaa.com) AAA said it responded to more than 350,000 roadside-assistance calls over last year’s Memorial Day weekend. The most common problems were dead batteries, flat tires and empty fuel tanks, the group said, urging drivers to check batteries, tire pressure and fluids before leaving. (newsroom.aaa.com) Florida Today, citing AAA, reported that the holiday is expected to bring especially heavy traffic to Florida leisure markets including Orlando as theme-park travel rises. Axios also reported AAA expects the Tampa Bay area to see its busiest Memorial Day travel period on record. (newsroom.aaa.com) ### What happens next over the five-day holiday period? The Memorial Day travel window runs from Thursday, May 21, through Monday, May 25, under AAA’s definition. Hertz said Thursday and Friday will be the busiest rental-car pickup days, and INRIX said Monday afternoon will be another peak period for road traffic as travelers return home. (newsroom.aaa.com) (floridatoday.com)