3.66 million projected to fly Memorial Day

AAA said 45 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home over the Memorial Day holiday period from Thursday, May 21, through Monday, May 25. The group said 3.66 million of those travelers are projected to fly domestically, up 0.3% from last year, while 39.1 million are expected to drive. The forecast sets a Memorial Day weekend record for total travel, according to AAA. The New York Times reported that most U.S. travelers will be on the roads, not in the air, as the long weekend opens the summer travel season. ### Where does the 3.66 million figure come from? AAA published the estimate on May 11 in its national Memorial Day travel forecast. The organization said the holiday travel window covers Thursday, May 21, to Monday, May 25, and includes trips of at least 50 miles from home. AAA said the air-travel total would be slightly above 2025 levels, while total Memorial Day travel would rise to 45 million people. (newsroom.aaa.com) The AAA forecast also said average ticket prices were lower than last year for travelers who booked early, even as gas prices were higher than at Memorial Day 2025. Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, said in the release that the three-day weekend and the start of summer travel were helping drive demand. (newsroom.aaa.com) ### If flights are up, why is driving still the main story? AAA said 39.1 million people are expected to travel by car over the holiday weekend. That compares with 3.66 million projected air travelers, making driving by far the dominant mode of transportation in the forecast. The New York Times said most U.S. travelers will be driving this weekend, a pattern that fits AAA’s breakdown. (newsroom.aaa.com) ABC News, citing AAA, also reported that the 45 million total would be a record for the holiday. That volume means congestion is expected to build on highways even though the increase from last year is modest. ### What is likely to disrupt travelers this weekend? The New York Times reported on May 22 that Memorial Day weekend would be wet for much of the United States, while the West was expected to see drier, more seasonal weather. (newsroom.aaa.com) That weather pattern adds a second pressure point for travelers already moving during one of the busiest holiday periods of the year. (abcnews.com) Regional forecasts pointed in the same direction. CBS New York said the Tri-State Area was headed for a soggy start to summer with rain and cool temperatures, and local reports in Pennsylvania and New Jersey described widespread holiday-weekend rain. ### Does the flying increase change the broader picture? (nytimes.com) The 0.3% increase in domestic flyers is small compared with the scale of road travel in AAA’s forecast. The air number matters because it extends heavy holiday demand to airports as well as highways, but the larger traffic story remains on the roads, where nearly nine in 10 Memorial Day travelers are expected to go by car based on AAA’s totals. (cbsnews.com) That ratio is an inference from AAA’s published figures. The New York Times framed the weekend as the start of what is expected to be a busy summer travel season. In that sense, the 3.66 million air-travel estimate is one part of a broader surge that includes highways, rental cars and airports. ### What should travelers watch through Monday? Monday, May 25, is the last day in AAA’s Memorial Day forecast window. (newsroom.aaa.com) AAA’s estimates cover the full Thursday-to-Monday period, and the New York Times weather forecast said wet and cool conditions could affect much of the country through the holiday weekend, with drier conditions in the West. Travelers looking for the latest conditions will need to track local forecasts and airport or highway updates as the weekend continues. (nytimes.com)