Spring travel: road trips rise

U.S. spring travelers are spreading trips across March and April and choosing more road travel, according to Hertz’s 2026 booking data. (hertz.com) Hertz said one in three of its customers is renting specifically for road trips and driving vacations this spring. The company also said travelers usually reserve rental cars 16 days before a spring trip. (hertz.com) The company’s forecast shows demand no longer centered on one spring break week. Its top pickup days were March 6, March 13 and March 27, with another wave on April 9, April 17, April 23 and April 24. (hertz.com) That shift lines up with higher airfares on domestic spring break routes. AAA said roundtrip flights to domestic spring hot spots are averaging about $815, up 2% from 2025. (aaa.com) Rental timing is changing too. Hertz said Thursday and Friday are still the most popular pickup days, but Wednesday and Sunday starts offer a better chance at lower rates. (hertz.com) The busiest rental markets are still warm-weather cities. Hertz listed Orlando, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Tampa, Honolulu, Miami, Denver and Dallas as its top spring destinations by rental demand. (hertz.com) AAA’s booking data points in the same direction. Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Miami and Tampa all ranked among its top 10 domestic spring break destinations, and AAA said many travelers are choosing to drive. (aaa.com) Air travel remains heavy even as more people keep trips flexible. Transportation Security Administration checkpoint data showed 2,854,704 passengers screened on March 13, 2026, and 2,765,657 on March 15, 2026. (tsa.gov) Hertz is also trying to convert that flexibility into bookings. Its spring sale offered 20% off Pay Later base rates for reservations made by April 13 with pickups through June 5, 2026. (hertz.com) The result is a spring travel season with fewer fixed weekend patterns and more people building trips around cheaper pickup days, available cars and warm-weather drives. (hertz.com)