AAA Forecasts 45 Million Memorial Day Weekend Travelers
AAA projects 45 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home for the weekend between Thursday, May 21 and Monday, May 25, setting a new Memorial Day weekend record. Stacey Barber, AAA's vice president of travel, said demand remains strong even as fuel costs stay high.
"Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, and for most Americans, it’s a three-day weekend," Barber said in a May 11 statement. "Travel demand remains strong, and despite higher fuel prices, many people are prioritizing leisure travel during holiday breaks."
AAA Travel Forecast
AAA expects 39.1 million people to drive and 3.66 million to fly over the holiday period. Another 2.2 million people are projected to travel by bus, train or cruise, a 5% increase from last year. Driving remains the dominant option, accounting for 87% of Memorial Day travelers.
The forecast is slightly higher than last year, and AAA said the domestic travel total sets a Memorial Day weekend record. That surge comes even though drivers are paying more at the pump than they did last year. The national average for regular gasoline was $3.17 a gallon on Memorial Day last year, and AAA said pump prices are now the highest since the summer of 2022.
Flights, Rentals, Roads
For travelers who booked early, airfares are lower. AAA said roundtrip domestic flights are 6% cheaper than last year, with an average ticket price of $800. Domestic car rentals are 1% cheaper than last Memorial Day weekend.
Hertz said Thursday and Friday will be the busiest pickup days for Memorial Day weekend rental cars, with the highest demand in Orlando, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Boston. Travelers headed for theme parks, landmarks, cruises in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, or trips to Europe are part of the holiday rush.
AAA responded to more than 350,000 emergency roadside assistance calls last Memorial Day weekend, a reminder that the holiday traffic spike is already built into its planning. For travelers, the most practical move is to book early, because the cheapest airfare and rental prices in AAA's forecast reflect trips sold before jet fuel costs pushed fares higher.
