Click to enlarge.
AAA forecasts that in the U.S. 45.1 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home over the Memorial Day holiday period* from Thursday 22 May to Monday 26 May. This year’s domestic travel forecast is an increase of 1.4 million travelers compared to last year and sets a new Memorial Day weekend record. The previous record was set back in 2005 with 44 million people. Despite concerns over rising prices, many Americans say they’re taking advantage of the long holiday weekend to spend time with loved ones, even if the trips are closer to home, according to AAA.
“Memorial Day weekend getaways don’t have to be extravagant and costly,” said Stacey Barber, Vice President of AAA Travel. “While some travelers embark on dream vacations and fly hundreds of miles across the country, many families just pack up the car and drive to the beach or take a road trip to visit friends. Long holiday weekends are ideal for travel because many people have an extra day off work and students are off from school.”
Memorial Day by Mode of Transportation
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By Car: AAA projects 39.4 million people will travel by car over Memorial Day weekend. That’s an additional one million travelers compared to last year. Driving is the preferred mode of transportation during holiday travel periods, with 87% of Memorial Day travelers choosing to take road trips. This year, drivers have the benefit of cheaper gas prices. Last Memorial Day, the national average for a gallon of regular was $3.59. This spring – thanks to lower crude oil prices – gasoline prices haven’t seen typical seasonal spikes. With the unofficial start of summer kicking off the busy driving season, demand is expected to rise, and pump prices may creep up along with it. Gas prices typically peak in the summer and start coming down when schools go back in session in the fall.
For drivers who are renting cars over Memorial Day weekend, AAA car rental partner Hertz says Friday 23 May is expected to be the busiest day for pickup. SUVs are some of the most popular rental vehicles for the long holiday weekend. Hertz says the cities seeing the highest demand for rental cars include Orlando, Denver, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Miami, and Seattle – all cities in AAA’s Top Destinations list.
By Air: Airports are bracing for another bustling holiday weekend. AAA projects 3.61 million air passengers, a nearly 2% increase over last year when 3.55 million travelers took to the skies. While this Memorial Day weekend isn’t expected to set an air travel record (that was set back in 2005 with 3.64 million travelers), this year’s numbers are projected to surpass pre-pandemic levels by 12%. AAA booking data (based on what travelers paid when booking Memorial Day weekend flights) shows domestic flights are 2% more expensive compared to last year, with the average round-trip ticket costing $850. Most of those flights are to popular destinations like Chicago, New York, Orlando, Denver, and Seattle.
By Other Modes: Travel by other modes continues to steadily rise post-pandemic. AAA projects 2.08 million people will travel by train, bus, or cruise over Memorial Day weekend, an 8.5% increase over last year. This category is now surpassing pre-pandemic numbers from 2018 and 2019, but doesn’t reach the record numbers of the early 2000s when more people were choosing trains and buses post 9/11.
Best/Worst Times to Drive and Peak Congestion by Metropolitan Area
INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, expects the afternoons over Memorial Day weekend to be the most congested. Travelers should hit the road during the morning hours. Boston, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, DC are the metros that can expect the heaviest traffic.
Memorial Day Holiday Travel Period
The Memorial Day holiday travel period is defined as the five-day period from Thursday, 22 May to Monday, 26 May. The five-day holiday length is consistent with previous holiday periods dating back to 2000.
*About AAA
Started in 1902 by automotive enthusiasts who wanted to chart a path for better roads in America and advocate for safe mobility, AAA has transformed into one of North America’s largest membership organizations. Today, AAA says it delivers exceptional roadside assistance, helps travelers plan their dream vacations and adventures, offers exclusive member discounts and benefits, and provides trusted financial and insurance services – all to enhance the life journey of our 65+ million members across North America, including nearly 58 million in the United States. To learn more about all AAA offers or become a member, visit AAA.com.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
AAA – Record 45.1 Million to Travel for Memorial Day
Click to enlarge.
AAA forecasts that in the U.S. 45.1 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home over the Memorial Day holiday period* from Thursday 22 May to Monday 26 May. This year’s domestic travel forecast is an increase of 1.4 million travelers compared to last year and sets a new Memorial Day weekend record. The previous record was set back in 2005 with 44 million people. Despite concerns over rising prices, many Americans say they’re taking advantage of the long holiday weekend to spend time with loved ones, even if the trips are closer to home, according to AAA.
“Memorial Day weekend getaways don’t have to be extravagant and costly,” said Stacey Barber, Vice President of AAA Travel. “While some travelers embark on dream vacations and fly hundreds of miles across the country, many families just pack up the car and drive to the beach or take a road trip to visit friends. Long holiday weekends are ideal for travel because many people have an extra day off work and students are off from school.”
Memorial Day by Mode of Transportation
Click for more.
By Car: AAA projects 39.4 million people will travel by car over Memorial Day weekend. That’s an additional one million travelers compared to last year. Driving is the preferred mode of transportation during holiday travel periods, with 87% of Memorial Day travelers choosing to take road trips. This year, drivers have the benefit of cheaper gas prices. Last Memorial Day, the national average for a gallon of regular was $3.59. This spring – thanks to lower crude oil prices – gasoline prices haven’t seen typical seasonal spikes. With the unofficial start of summer kicking off the busy driving season, demand is expected to rise, and pump prices may creep up along with it. Gas prices typically peak in the summer and start coming down when schools go back in session in the fall.
For drivers who are renting cars over Memorial Day weekend, AAA car rental partner Hertz says Friday 23 May is expected to be the busiest day for pickup. SUVs are some of the most popular rental vehicles for the long holiday weekend. Hertz says the cities seeing the highest demand for rental cars include Orlando, Denver, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Miami, and Seattle – all cities in AAA’s Top Destinations list.
By Air: Airports are bracing for another bustling holiday weekend. AAA projects 3.61 million air passengers, a nearly 2% increase over last year when 3.55 million travelers took to the skies. While this Memorial Day weekend isn’t expected to set an air travel record (that was set back in 2005 with 3.64 million travelers), this year’s numbers are projected to surpass pre-pandemic levels by 12%. AAA booking data (based on what travelers paid when booking Memorial Day weekend flights) shows domestic flights are 2% more expensive compared to last year, with the average round-trip ticket costing $850. Most of those flights are to popular destinations like Chicago, New York, Orlando, Denver, and Seattle.
By Other Modes: Travel by other modes continues to steadily rise post-pandemic. AAA projects 2.08 million people will travel by train, bus, or cruise over Memorial Day weekend, an 8.5% increase over last year. This category is now surpassing pre-pandemic numbers from 2018 and 2019, but doesn’t reach the record numbers of the early 2000s when more people were choosing trains and buses post 9/11.
Best/Worst Times to Drive and Peak Congestion by Metropolitan Area
INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, expects the afternoons over Memorial Day weekend to be the most congested. Travelers should hit the road during the morning hours. Boston, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, DC are the metros that can expect the heaviest traffic.
Memorial Day Holiday Travel Period
The Memorial Day holiday travel period is defined as the five-day period from Thursday, 22 May to Monday, 26 May. The five-day holiday length is consistent with previous holiday periods dating back to 2000.
*About AAA
Started in 1902 by automotive enthusiasts who wanted to chart a path for better roads in America and advocate for safe mobility, AAA has transformed into one of North America’s largest membership organizations. Today, AAA says it delivers exceptional roadside assistance, helps travelers plan their dream vacations and adventures, offers exclusive member discounts and benefits, and provides trusted financial and insurance services – all to enhance the life journey of our 65+ million members across North America, including nearly 58 million in the United States. To learn more about all AAA offers or become a member, visit AAA.com.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.