AAA forecasts 45 million Memorial Day travelers

AAA said 45 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home over the Memorial Day holiday period from Thursday, May 21, through Monday, May 25, a new record for the weekend. The group said the total is slightly above last year’s 44.8 million travelers and would make 2026 the latest in a run of strong holiday travel forecasts. (newsroom.aaa.com) Driving remains the dominant mode, with 39.1 million people expected to go by car, while 3.66 million are projected to fly. The AAA forecast matters because it gives an early read on how Americans are handling a holiday weekend that arrives with higher gas prices but lower average airfares for travelers who booked early. (newsroom.aaa.com) Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, said in the organization’s release that Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer and that many Americans use the long weekend for a trip. ### How many people is AAA expecting on the roads and in the air? AAA said 39.1 million travelers are expected to drive over the five-day holiday window, setting a Memorial Day record for road travel. The group also said 3.66 million people are expected to fly, another record for the holiday period, while roughly 2.2 million are forecast to travel by other modes such as buses, trains and cruises. (newsroom.aaa.com) The May 11 forecast from AAA defines the holiday period as Thursday, May 21, through Monday, May 25, and counts travelers going at least 50 miles from home. That is the same framework AAA uses for its annual Memorial Day outlooks, allowing year-to-year comparisons. (newsroom.aaa.com) ### Why is driving still leading even with higher gas prices? AAA said gas prices are higher than they were over Memorial Day weekend last year, but driving still accounts for the overwhelming majority of expected trips. The group’s release did not say higher pump prices were enough to deter travelers from taking shorter domestic trips by car. (newsroom.aaa.com) Stacey Barber said in the AAA release that Memorial Day getaways can range from road trips to beach vacations and international journeys, with demand reflecting what she described as a desire to make the most of the long weekend. Her comments were included alongside the forecast figures and framed the holiday as the start of the summer travel season. (newsroom.aaa.com) ### What does the forecast say about flights? AAA said 3.66 million people are expected to fly during the Memorial Day period, and it said average ticket prices are lower than last year for travelers who booked early. The organization did not say that lower fares applied across all booking windows, but it used that comparison to explain why air travel is also projected to hit a record. (newsroom.aaa.com) Regional reports showed some variation beneath the national total. In the Philadelphia area, 6abc reported that AAA expected more than 38,000 travelers to fly, down 0.3% from last year, while nearly 17,000 were projected to travel by train, bus or cruise ship, up 3.8%. (newsroom.aaa.com) ### How does 2026 compare with recent Memorial Day weekends? AAA said 2026’s forecast is slightly above 2025’s 44.8 million travelers. The group’s 2025 Memorial Day outlook had projected 45.1 million travelers for that year’s holiday period, which at the time was also described as a record. (newsroom.aaa.com) The comparison shows AAA is measuring 2026 against another elevated travel year rather than against a weak baseline. In 2024, AAA projected 43.8 million Memorial Day travelers, which it said came close to the prior record set in 2005. ### When does the holiday travel period begin? (southjersey.aaa.com) Thursday, May 21, is the first day in AAA’s Memorial Day forecast window, and Monday, May 25, is the last. Travelers looking for the official national outlook can find it in AAA’s May 11 release, which includes the national totals for driving, flying and other travel modes. (newsroom.aaa.com 1) (newsroom.aaa.com 2)