AAA: best, worst Memorial Day travel times

AAA said on May 11 that 45 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home over the Memorial Day holiday period, which runs from Thursday, May 21, through Monday, May 25. The forecast would set a new Memorial Day record, topping last year’s 44.8 million travelers, according to the auto club. INRIX, the traffic-data provider AAA cited, said the heaviest road congestion is expected in afternoon and early evening windows, especially on Thursday and Friday. ### When are the worst hours to be on the road? INRIX’s national forecast, published by outlets citing AAA’s travel guidance, points to Thursday, May 21, from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. as one of the longest congestion windows of the holiday stretch. Friday, May 22, is expected to stay busy from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., according to the same guidance. Saturday’s slowest period is forecast for 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., while Monday’s return traffic is expected to build from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. (newsroom.aaa.com) Sunday, May 24, is the outlier. Axios, citing INRIX data, said Sunday should have light traffic throughout the day, and NBC’s summary of the AAA guidance said minimal traffic impact is expected that day. ### When does AAA say drivers should leave instead? AAA’s guidance is straightforward: leave in the morning if possible. (nbcnewyork.com) For Thursday, the best time is after 9 p.m., according to the INRIX table carried by NBC. For Friday and Saturday, the preferred window is before 11 a.m. On Memorial Day itself, Monday, the recommended departure is before 10 a.m. (axios.com) Regional AAA affiliates repeated the same advice in local travel outlooks. Central Penn AAA said drivers leaving Thursday or Friday should get on the road early to avoid mixing with commuters. ### How many people are expected to drive, fly or use other modes? AAA said 39.1 million people are expected to travel by car, which would amount to 87% of all Memorial Day travelers. (nbcnewyork.com) Another 3.66 million are projected to fly domestically, while about 2.2 million are expected to travel by bus, train or cruise. (centralpenn.aaa.com) Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, said in the organization’s May 11 release that “travel demand remains strong” despite higher fuel prices. AAA also said average round-trip domestic airfare was 6% lower than a year earlier for travelers who booked early, at about $800, even as gasoline prices were running above last Memorial Day levels. (inrix.com) ### What was the Jersey Shore warning about? The Asbury Park Press reported on May 16 that Jersey Shore travelers should expect the same afternoon and early-evening bottlenecks reflected in the national guidance. The report, citing AAA’s forecast, advised staggered departures to avoid the busiest periods on routes heading toward the shore and on the return trip. (inrix.com) AAA’s South Jersey office separately said 45 million Americans are expected to travel over the holiday and described the 2026 outlook as a new Memorial Day weekend record. ### What else is AAA flagging before the weekend starts? AAA said last Memorial Day weekend it responded to more than 350,000 roadside-assistance calls for problems including dead batteries, flat tires and empty fuel tanks. (app.com) The group urged drivers to check batteries, tire pressure and fluids before leaving. (southjersey.aaa.com) Hertz, identified by AAA as its car-rental partner, expects Thursday and Friday to be the busiest pickup days for holiday rentals. AAA said the five markets with the highest rental demand are Orlando, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Boston. ### What should travelers watch as Memorial Day weekend begins? (inrix.com) Thursday, May 21, is the first day of AAA’s five-day Memorial Day travel period, and the first major congestion window is expected to begin at noon and last into the evening. Monday, May 25, is projected to bring another heavy return-travel stretch from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., with AAA and INRIX advising drivers to leave before 10 a.m. (nbcnewyork.com) (inrix.com)