Worst Memorial Day driving windows forecast

AAA said on May 11 that 45 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home for Memorial Day weekend, a record for the holiday period. INRIX, the traffic-data firm AAA cited in its forecast, said the heaviest road congestion is expected on Thursday and Friday between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., with Monday afternoon also likely to be crowded as travelers head home. The travel window AAA tracks runs from Thursday, May 21, through Monday, May 25. Driving will account for most of those trips, with 39.1 million people expected to go by car. ### Which hours are expected to be the worst on the road? INRIX said the most difficult driving periods for Memorial Day weekend are Thursday and Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The same forecast says Monday afternoon is another peak return period, when holiday travelers are likely to converge on the same highways heading back into metro areas. Sunday is expected to be the lightest traffic day, barring crashes, weather disruptions or other incidents. (newsroom.aaa.com) AAA’s Mid States forecast said congestion should ease after travelers move out of major cities and into suburban and rural corridors. That means the late-afternoon departure rush matters more than the holiday itself for many drivers, especially around large metro areas. ### How many people are expected to drive and fly? (midstates.aaa.com) AAA said 39.1 million people are expected to travel by car over the five-day holiday period, making road trips by far the dominant mode. The organization projected 3.66 million domestic air travelers, while another 2.2 million people are expected to travel by bus, train or cruise. (midstates.aaa.com) Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, said in the group’s May 11 release that Memorial Day is the “unofficial start of summer” for many Americans. AAA said this year’s overall forecast is slightly above the 44.8 million people who traveled over the same holiday period in 2025. (newsroom.aaa.com) ### What does the airfare forecast show? AAA said average round-trip domestic airfare for Memorial Day weekend is about $800, based on what travelers paid when they booked. The group said that figure is 6% lower than a year earlier, and it noted that many of those tickets were bought before rising jet fuel prices began affecting fares. (newsroom.aaa.com) Yahoo and AOL matched that broad airfare picture in separate reports this week, citing the same AAA forecast for 3.66 million domestic fliers and average round-trip ticket prices near $800. ### Which days matter most if you are trying to avoid delays? (newsroom.aaa.com) Thursday, May 21, and Friday, May 22, are the days most likely to produce the longest slowdowns, according to INRIX’s timing forecast. Monday, May 25, becomes the main return choke point in the afternoon, when drivers who left early in the weekend begin to compress into the same homebound window. (creators.yahoo.com) Hertz, which AAA identified as its car-rental partner, expects Thursday and Friday to be the busiest vehicle pickup days of the weekend. AAA also said it handled more than 350,000 roadside-assistance calls over last year’s Memorial Day weekend, involving dead batteries, flat tires and empty gas tanks. ### What should travelers watch next? (midstates.aaa.com) AAA’s forecast covers travel from Thursday, May 21, through Monday, May 25, and the group said its traffic guidance is based on INRIX projections for that period. Travelers looking for the latest route conditions will need to watch local traffic reports and day-of highway conditions as those peak windows approach. (newsroom.aaa.com) (midstates.aaa.com)