AAA advises best, worst Memorial Day times

AAA said on May 11 that 45 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home between Thursday, May 21, and Monday, May 25, setting a Memorial Day weekend record. The forecast is slightly above last year's 44.8 million and points to another heavy holiday crush on highways and at airports. Most of those travelers are expected to drive, even with gasoline prices running above last Memorial Day levels. Separate traffic guidance based on INRIX data said the best strategy is to leave early or late and avoid afternoon departures. ### How many people are AAA and INRIX expecting on the road? AAA projected 45 million total travelers for the five-day holiday period, with 39.1 million going by car and 3.66 million flying. The group said driving will account for 87% of all Memorial Day travelers this year, while air passengers will make up about 8%. Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, said in the association's release that "travel demand remains strong" despite higher fuel prices. AAA said the 2026 figure would set a new Memorial Day weekend record and that domestic car rentals are 1% cheaper than a year earlier. ### When are the worst times to leave? AOL, citing INRIX-based traffic guidance published by USA Today, said the worst congestion is expected in the afternoons across the holiday stretch. (newsroom.aaa.com) The guidance said drivers should avoid noon to 9 p.m. on Thursday, May 21, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, May 22. Saturday, May 23, and Monday, May 25, are also expected to be busiest from noon to 5 p.m., according to the same guidance. (newsroom.aaa.com) For the return trip, the recommended window is before 10 a.m., while Sunday is expected to have the lightest traffic of the weekend. ### What are the better windows if travelers want to avoid delays? INRIX's guidance said the best time to be on the road is after 9 p.m. on Thursday and before 11 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. (aol.com) The recommendation reflects a simple pattern: leave before the afternoon build-up or wait until evening. AAA's broader forecast supports that advice because nearly nine in 10 holiday travelers are expected to drive. (aol.com) With 39.1 million drivers on the road, even modest shifts in departure times can affect corridor traffic around major metro areas and beach routes. ### What did the Jersey Shore guidance say? The Asbury Park Press published a Jersey Shore-specific version of the holiday timing advice on May 13 and followed with another local traffic story on May 16. (aol.com) Those reports were framed around the same AAA and INRIX travel outlook that has been circulated nationally ahead of the holiday weekend. (newsroom.aaa.com) The local focus matters because shore traffic typically compresses into a smaller set of routes and bridge approaches as beachgoers head south and east from the New York and Philadelphia areas. The published Jersey Shore guidance pointed readers to off-peak departure windows rather than afternoon starts. ### What about flights, rentals and prices? (app.com) AAA said 3.66 million travelers are expected to take domestic flights, a small increase from last year. The group said average round-trip domestic airfare for Memorial Day bookings was 6% lower than a year earlier, at about $800, for trips booked before rising jet fuel prices began affecting fares. (app.com) Hertz, identified by AAA as its car-rental partner, said Thursday and Friday are expected to be the busiest pickup days. AAA said Orlando, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Boston are the top five rental-car markets for the holiday period. ### Is weather already part of the travel picture? The National Weather Service office in Mount Holly, New Jersey, said on May 17 that a cold front is expected to bring chances of showers and thunderstorms to the region from Wednesday through Thursday. (newsroom.aaa.com) That timing overlaps with the start of Memorial Day travel for many Northeast drivers. The Weather Prediction Center said in its extended forecast discussion on May 16 that an early-season East Coast heat wave would be followed by a changing pattern by late week. Forecasts for the full holiday weekend will be refined closer to departure dates, and travelers heading to the Jersey Shore or other East Coast destinations can check updated National Weather Service forecasts before leaving. (forecast.weather.gov) AAA's holiday travel window runs from Thursday, May 21, through Monday, May 25. The latest traffic timing guidance is already circulating through AAA-linked and USA Today reports, while updated local forecasts from National Weather Service offices, including Mount Holly for the Jersey Shore region, will sharpen as the holiday approaches. (newsroom.aaa.com) (wpc.ncep.noaa.gov)