AAA projects 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 Memorial Day weekend, setting what the group called a new record for the holiday period. The forecast covers Thursday, May 21, through Monday, May 25. (newsroom.aaa.com) AAA said the total is slightly above the 44.8 million people it estimated traveled over the comparable holiday window in 2025. The new projection points to another heavy holiday crush on roads and at airports as the summer travel season begins. AAA said 39.1 million people are expected to drive and 3.66 million are expected to fly. Another 2.2 million are forecast to travel by bus, train or cruise. (newsroom.aaa.com) Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, said in the release that demand for leisure trips remained strong even with higher fuel prices. AAA also said average domestic airfares for Memorial Day trips were lower than a year earlier for travelers who booked early. (newsroom.aaa.com) ### How much bigger is this year’s Memorial Day forecast? AAA’s 45 million estimate is marginally above last year’s 44.8 million figure for the same holiday travel measure. The group described the 2026 total as a new Memorial Day weekend record. (newsroom.aaa.com) The travel organization uses a threshold of at least 50 miles from home to count holiday travelers. In 2025, AAA projected 45.1 million Memorial Day travelers for the Thursday-to-Monday holiday period, while saying the prior record had been 44 million in 2005. ### Where will most of those travelers be? (newsroom.aaa.com) Roads will carry the biggest share of the holiday traffic. AAA said 39.1 million people, or 87% of Memorial Day travelers, are expected to go by car this year. Airports will also be busy, though flying remains a much smaller slice of the total. (newsroom.aaa.com) AAA projected 3.66 million domestic air travelers, or about 8% of the holiday total, and said 2.2 million more people would use buses, trains or cruises. ### What is AAA saying about prices? Gasoline prices are higher than they were a year ago, according to AAA. (newsroom.aaa.com) The group said drivers are paying more at the pump than last Memorial Day, when the national average for regular gasoline was $3.17 a gallon, and added that current pump prices are the highest since the summer of 2022. (newsroom.aaa.com) Flight prices moved the other way in AAA’s booking data. The organization said roundtrip domestic flights booked for Memorial Day weekend averaged $800, down 6% from a year earlier, and said many of those trips were booked before rising jet fuel prices began affecting fares. (newsroom.aaa.com) Car rentals were also slightly cheaper, AAA said. The group said domestic rental rates were 1% lower than a year earlier, while Hertz expected Thursday and Friday to be the busiest pickup days. Hertz’s top five rental markets for the holiday were Orlando, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Boston, according to AAA. (newsroom.aaa.com) ### When will highways be most crowded? 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., as well as on Monday afternoon. Sunday should be the lightest day for traffic, barring crashes, construction or weather disruptions, according to the forecast. (newsroom.aaa.com) AAA paired that forecast with a safety message for drivers. The group urged motorists to slow down, move over for roadside responders, drive sober, and check batteries, tire pressure and fluids before leaving. (newsroom.aaa.com) ### What else is AAA watching over the weekend? AAA said it handled more than 350,000 roadside-assistance calls over Memorial Day weekend last year. The most common problems included dead batteries, flat tires and empty fuel tanks, according to the group. The holiday travel window begins on Thursday, May 21, and runs through Monday, May 25. (newsroom.aaa.com) Travelers looking for the latest road conditions and airport updates will be watching state transportation agencies, airlines and local airports as departure days approach.