AAA forecasts 45 million Memorial Day travelers

AAA said on May 11 that 45 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home over the Memorial Day period, setting what the group called a new record for the holiday weekend. The forecast covers Thursday, May 21, through Monday, May 25, according to AAA. The travel group said the total is slightly above the 44.8 million travelers it estimated for Memorial Day 2025. Driving is expected to account for the vast majority of trips, even with fuel prices above year-earlier levels. ### How many people does AAA expect on the road? AAA said 39.1 million travelers are expected to go by car, which would also be a Memorial Day record. The group said driving would account for about 87% of holiday travelers. It also projected 3.66 million air travelers, while the rest are expected to travel by other modes such as bus, train or cruise. (newsroom.aaa.com) The five-day window matters because AAA counts departures beginning on the Thursday before Memorial Day and ending on the Monday holiday itself. In 2026, that means trips starting May 21 and returning by May 25 are included in the forecast. Memorial Day is observed on Monday, May 25, this year. (southjersey.aaa.com) ### Why is the driving number so high despite fuel prices? AAA said gas prices are higher than they were over Memorial Day weekend last year, but it still expects most travelers to drive. In regional releases, AAA officials said the three-day holiday weekend and the flexibility of road trips continue to make driving the dominant option for many households. (newsroom.aaa.com) Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, said in AAA’s release that Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer and that many Americans use the long weekend for a getaway. AAA said lower average airfares for travelers who booked early may help support flying demand, but cars remain the main mode of travel. (mwg.aaa.com) ### What does the 45 million figure actually measure? AAA said the forecast counts Americans traveling at least 50 miles from home. That is the benchmark the group uses for its holiday travel estimates, and it applies across all travel modes in the Memorial Day outlook. (southjersey.aaa.com) The 45 million figure is not a count of airline passengers or highway vehicles. It is AAA’s estimate of total domestic holiday travelers over the five-day period. UPI, citing AAA’s forecast, reported the estimate as an uptick from last year’s holiday travel total. ### When will the busiest Memorial Day travel period fall? (newsroom.aaa.com) Thursday, May 21, is the start of AAA’s forecast window, and Monday, May 25, is the federal holiday. Because Memorial Day falls on the last Monday in May, many travelers are expected to concentrate departures before the weekend and returns on the holiday itself or the day before. AAA’s forecast does not assign exact daily traffic peaks in the material reviewed, but it frames the full holiday period as a five-day stretch. (upi.com) AAA’s next concrete marker is the holiday travel period itself, which runs through Monday, May 25. The group’s forecast says 45 million Americans, including 39.1 million drivers and 3.66 million fliers, are expected to travel during that span. (southjersey.aaa.com) (newsroom.aaa.com)