A record number of Americans are expected to travel during the upocoming Memorial Day weekend, most of the on the same highways as professional drivers doing their jobs.
AAA projects 45 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home for Memorial Day between Thursday, May 21 and Monday, May 25.
Even with gasoline prices topping $4.50 a gallon on average, this year’s domestic travel forecast is slightly higher than last year and sets a new Memorial Day weekend record. AAA says 39.1 million people will travel by car and 3.66 million expected to fly to their destinations.
“Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, and for most Americans, it’s a three-day weekend,” said Stacey Barber, Vice President of AAA Travel. “Travel demand remains strong, and despite higher fuel prices, many people are prioritizing leisure travel during holiday breaks.”
AAA’s Memorial Day holiday travel period includes five days, beginning the Thursday before Memorial Day and ending on Monday.
AAA projects 39.1 million people will travel by car over Memorial Day weekend, a slight jump over last year. Driving is the most popular way to travel and makes up 87% of the share of Memorial Day travelers. This holiday weekend, drivers are paying more at the pump compared to last year when the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline was $3.17 on Memorial Day. Currently, pump prices are the highest they’ve been since the summer of 2022.
INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, says Memorial Day weekend drivers should expect the heaviest congestion on Thursday and Friday between 3pm and 6pm and Monday afternoon. Sunday should be the lightest day for traffic, barring any unexpected events on the road.
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