Yahoo: avoid Memorial Day Monday traffic

Yahoo published a Memorial Day travel guide on May 23 telling drivers to expect the heaviest return traffic on Monday, as AAA projected a record 45 million Americans would travel at least 50 miles over the holiday weekend. The guide said 39.1 million of them would go by car, even with gas prices at their highest Memorial Day level in four years. Yahoo, citing AAA and traffic-data partner INRIX, said Monday’s main congestion window would run from noon to 5 p.m. Drivers heading home should try to leave before 10 a.m., the guide said. ### Why was Monday singled out in Yahoo’s guide? Monday, May 25, was the clearest warning in Yahoo’s travel guide because it is the main return day for holiday drivers. The article said traffic would be heavy for most of the day, with the sharpest crunch expected between noon and 5 p.m. AAA and INRIX gave similar timing for other days, but Sunday was the outlier. Yahoo said Sunday, May 24, was expected to have minimal traffic impact, making it the lightest driving day of the weekend. ### What were the best and worst driving windows? (yahoo.com) AAA’s timetable, as reproduced in Yahoo’s article, broke the weekend into specific windows. Thursday’s worst period was noon to 9 p.m., with travel after 9 p.m. preferred. Friday’s worst period was 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and the best time was before 11 a.m. (yahoo.com) Saturday, May 23, carried another midday warning. Yahoo said drivers should aim to be on the road before 11 a.m., with the worst congestion expected from noon to 5 p.m. Monday’s return window was also noon to 5 p.m., with departure before 10 a.m. recommended. (yahoo.com) ### How many people were expected to travel? AAA said 45 million Americans were expected to travel at least 50 miles from home between Thursday, May 21, and Monday, May 25. That would be a slight increase from 44.8 million a year earlier and another Memorial Day record, according to AAA’s 2026 forecast. AAA said 39.1 million people, or 87% of holiday travelers, would drive. (yahoo.com) Another 3.66 million were projected to fly domestically, up 0.3% from last year, while 2.2 million were expected to travel by bus, train or cruise. Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, said in the forecast statement that “many people are prioritizing leisure travel during holiday breaks” despite higher fuel prices. (midstates.aaa.com) ### What did the guide say about gas prices? AAA said the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline was $4.56 on May 21, up 3 cents from a week earlier and $1.38 higher than a year earlier. (midstates.aaa.com) Yahoo said that put pump prices near the $4.61 average drivers paid on Memorial Day 2022. Yahoo also listed the most expensive and least expensive states for gas. (yahoo.com) AAA said California had the highest average at $6.14, followed by Washington at $5.78 and Hawaii at $5.64. Mississippi was the cheapest at $4.01, followed by Georgia at $4.03 and Indiana at $4.04. ### Where could weather complicate travel? AccuWeather said on May 18 that downpours and thunderstorms could disrupt travel and outdoor plans from Texas to New England over the holiday weekend. (gasprices.aaa.com) The forecaster said the steadiest rain in parts of the Northeast was likely to fall mainly on Saturday and Sunday, with some improvement possible by Memorial Day. Yahoo’s guide flagged New England and parts of the Northeast for rain and cooler temperatures, a regional warning that fit the broader forecast from weather services covering the weekend. ### What should travelers watch next? Monday, May 25, is the key date in Yahoo’s guide because it combines the busiest return traffic window with a federal holiday schedule. (accuweather.com) AAA said drivers can keep checking fuel prices and route conditions through its TripTik planner, while forecasters including AccuWeather continue to update regional rain and storm outlooks. (gasprices.aaa.com)