AAA forecasts record 45 million travelers

Memorial Day travel is shaping up to be huge this year. AAA now expects 45 million Americans to go at least 50 miles from home between Wednesday, May 21, and Sunday, May 25. That would top last year’s 44 million and set a new Memorial Day weekend record in AAA’s tracking. The headline is simple — more people are getting away, and most of them are driving. ### Why is this a big deal? Because Memorial Day is basically the first real stress test of the summer travel season. AAA’s new forecast puts this year’s total at 1.4 million more travelers than last year, which is enough to turn a merely busy weekend into a packed one on highways, at airports, and at rental counters. ### How many people are actually driving? Almost all of them. AAA expects 39.1 million travelers to go by car this Memorial Day weekend, up from 38.4 million last year. That means roughly 87% of holiday travelers will be on the road, which is why the traffic piece matters more than the flight piece for most people. (newsroom.aaa.com) ### What about flying? Air travel is growing too, but much more slowly. AAA projects 3.61 million people will fly domestically over the holiday weekend, versus 3.55 million last year. That is still a big number, but it is nowhere near the road-trip wave, and it means airport crowds will rise without overtaking the basic story — this is a driving holiday. (newsroom.aaa.com) ### Why are so many people choosing cars? Flexibility is a big part of it. Memorial Day trips are often short — beach weekends, family visits, quick cabin getaways — and cars make those easier. AAA also says many travelers are taking advantage of the long weekend plus school calendars that already have some students out or nearly out. The catch is that when everyone makes the same “quick getaway” calculation, the roads clog fast. (newsroom.aaa.com) ### Are gas prices helping? Not this time. Last year’s Memorial Day national average for regular gas was $3.17, and AAA says prices now are higher than they were a year ago and sit at their highest levels since summer 2022. So this forecast is not being driven by cheap fuel. Turns out people are still willing to pay more at the pump to take the trip anyway. (newsroom.aaa.com) ### When will traffic be worst? INRIX says the roughest windows should be Thursday and Friday between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., plus Monday afternoon on the way back. Sunday should be the lightest traffic day if nothing unusual happens. That pattern makes sense — commuters and holiday travelers pile onto the same roads right when people are leaving town after work. (newsroom.aaa.com) ### What else gets squeezed? Roadside help. AAA says it handled more than 350,000 emergency roadside calls over last year’s Memorial Day weekend for dead batteries, flat tires, and empty gas tanks. That is a useful reminder that holiday traffic is not just about congestion — it is also about more breakdowns, more shoulder stops, and more pressure on tow crews and emergency responders. (newsroom.aaa.com) ### So what’s the real takeaway? This forecast matters because it says demand is still climbing even with pricier gas. If you are traveling May 21 to May 25, assume crowds are the default, not the exception. The smart move is boring but effective — leave early, expect delays, and treat this weekend like the opening bell for summer travel, because that is basically what it is. (newsroom.aaa.com)