AAA forecasts 45 million Memorial Day

AAA said 45 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home between Thursday, May 21, and Monday, May 25, setting what the group called a Memorial Day weekend record. The forecast, released May 11, is slightly above the 44.8 million travelers AAA estimated for the same holiday period in 2025. Most of those trips are expected to happen by car, even with gasoline prices running above year-ago levels, while air travel is also projected to rise. In the Philadelphia region, local forecasts point to more than 38,000 flyers and nearly 17,000 travelers using rail, bus or cruise options over the holiday weekend. ### How many people does AAA expect on the move this Memorial Day? AAA said 45 million travelers will take domestic trips of at least 50 miles during the five-day holiday travel window from May 21 through May 25. The organization said that would set a new Memorial Day weekend high, edging past last year's 44.8 million. (newsroom.aaa.com) The May 11 release said the holiday continues a broader pattern of strong leisure travel demand. Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, said Memorial Day's three-day weekend gives many Americans a chance to take a trip, even if it is closer to home. ### How much of that travel is expected to happen on the roads? (newsroom.aaa.com) AAA said 39.1 million people are expected to drive to their destinations over the holiday period. That would account for the vast majority of travelers in the forecast. Gasoline prices are higher than they were a year ago, but AAA said road trips remain the preferred option for many travelers because driving offers flexibility and can be less expensive for families and groups. (newsroom.aaa.com) The group did not say higher pump prices were enough to reduce overall demand for holiday driving. ### What does AAA expect for flights and other travel modes? AAA said 3.66 million travelers are expected to fly during the Memorial Day period. The organization said that would mark an increase from last year, with average ticket prices lower for travelers who booked early. The remaining 2.2 million travelers are expected to use trains, buses or cruise ships, according to AAA's national forecast. (newsroom.aaa.com) Those categories together make up a smaller share of holiday trips, but they still add up to more than 2 million people over the five-day window. ### What is the Philadelphia-area forecast? (newsroom.aaa.com) Philadelphia-area forecasts released by AAA and reported by 6abc said more than 38,000 local travelers are expected to fly this Memorial Day weekend. That figure is down 0.3% from last year. Nearly 17,000 Philadelphia-area residents are expected to travel by train, bus or cruise ship, up 3.8% from a year earlier, 6abc reported. (inrix.com) The local report did not change the broader national picture, where driving still dominates holiday travel. ### When does the forecast period run, and what comes next? (6abc.com) The AAA forecast covers Thursday, May 21, through Monday, May 25. That is the period the group uses for its Memorial Day travel estimate, and it includes trips of at least 50 miles from home. Memorial Day itself falls on Monday, May 25, and the heaviest travel volumes are expected over the long weekend as travelers head to holiday destinations and then return home. (6abc.com) Local airport, rail and highway activity in places including Philadelphia will provide the first real-time test of whether AAA's projections hold. (newsroom.aaa.com)