AAA forecasts 45 million travelers

AAA said 45 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home over the Memorial Day holiday period, setting a record for the long weekend. The forecast covers Thursday, May 21, through Monday, May 25, and is slightly above last year’s level, according to AAA. Driving will account for the vast majority of trips, with 39.1 million travelers expected to go by car. INRIX, the traffic-data company AAA cited in its forecast, said the worst congestion is likely on Thursday and Friday afternoons and again on Monday as travelers return. ### How big is this year’s Memorial Day travel surge? AAA said the 45 million figure would be a new Memorial Day record. The group said the total is slightly higher than 2025, when 44.8 million people traveled over the holiday period. The forecast counts Americans traveling 50 miles or more from home. (newsroom.aaa.com) AAA said Memorial Day demand remains strong even with higher fuel prices than a year ago. In a regional version of the forecast, the group said average airfare was lower for travelers who booked early, while gas prices were higher than last Memorial Day weekend. ### Why are the roads expected to carry most of the traffic? (newsroom.aaa.com) AAA said 39.1 million people are expected to travel by car, also a record for the holiday. Air travel is projected at 3.66 million travelers, while another roughly 2.2 million are expected to travel by bus, train or cruise, according to AAA’s breakdown. (midstates.aaa.com) TIME, citing INRIX data tied to the AAA forecast, reported that road congestion should be heaviest on Thursday, May 21, and Friday, May 22, between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Monday afternoon is also expected to be one of the busiest return windows. ### Which hours should drivers try to avoid? INRIX said the broadest pressure points will come late in the day heading into the holiday weekend. (midstates.aaa.com) AAA-linked guidance published Wednesday said drivers should expect the heaviest congestion on Thursday and Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., with Monday afternoon also likely to be crowded. (time.com) Yahoo’s creators travel guidance, citing AAA and INRIX, listed more detailed windows to avoid: Thursday from noon to 9 p.m. and Friday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Those ranges point to the same pattern — afternoon and early evening departures are expected to be the slowest. (creators.yahoo.com) ### Where are travelers headed? AAA’s Northeast publication said Orlando ranked first among domestic destinations in its booking data. Seattle, New York City, Las Vegas and Miami rounded out the top five domestic destinations, while Rome, Vancouver, Paris, London and Athens led the international list. (creators.yahoo.com) Regional reporting has also pointed to heavy traffic around major leisure hubs. The Palm Beach Post, citing AAA, said Florida theme-park travel was expected to be especially busy over the holiday weekend. ### What should travelers watch next? (magazine.northeast.aaa.com) Thursday, May 21, is the first day of AAA’s Memorial Day travel period, and Monday, May 25, is the final day in the forecast window. AAA and INRIX said the busiest road periods are expected on Thursday and Friday afternoons, with another return-travel crunch on Monday afternoon. (newsroom.aaa.com) (palmbeachpost.com)