Record Memorial Day travel numbers projected

Nearly 44 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home over the Memorial Day travel period, AAA projects.

That’s a 4% increase over last year and close to matching the record set in 2005.

The Memorial Day holiday travel period is considered the five-day period from Thursday to Monday.

“We haven’t seen Memorial Day weekend travel numbers like these in almost 20 years,” said Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel. “We’re projecting an additional 1 million travelers this holiday weekend compared to 2019, which not only means we’re exceeding pre-pandemic levels but also signals a very busy summer travel season ahead.”

AAA projects 38.4 million will travel by car over Memorial Day weekend, the highest number for that holiday since AAA began tracking in 2000.

Pennsylvania State Police will also be out in force, watching for distracted, aggressive and intoxicated drivers.

Gas prices are continuing to decline ahead of the holiday weekend. Price-tracking service GasBuddy estimates the national average will hold in the mid-$3 per gallon range for much of the summer, with potentially tens of thousands of stations falling below $3 per gallon throughout the next several months.

GasBuddy forecasts that gas prices will average $3.58 per gallon nationally between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

According to a GasBuddy survey, 76% of Americans plan to take a road trip between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends, up 18% from 2023. Memorial Day is the most popular travel holiday, followed by Independence Day and Labor Day.

“It looks like it’ll be a busy start to the summer driving season, and while Americans gripe about the cost of gasoline, it doesn’t seem that too many are going to be deterred from hitting the road,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.

“Motorists are likely to see more stations lowering prices to $2.99 per gallon or less as the summer wears on, and refiners ramp up output after finishing maintenance,” De Haan said. “Hurricane season is a major wildcard for those hitting the road this summer, but absent a major storm in the Gulf, gas prices should not be much of a hindrance for those taking a road trip.”

AAA expects 3.51 million air travelers, an increase of 4.8% over last year and up 9% compared to 2019. It will be the most crowded Memorial Day weekend at airports since 2005, when 3.64 million flew as the travel industry rebounded from 9/11.

Nearly 2 million are expected to travel by buses, cruises and trains, up 5.6% from last year.

“This category took the biggest hit during the pandemic with fewer people taking public transportation or not cruising at all,” Twidale said. “Now — five years later — we’re back to 2019 numbers. Travel demand has been soaring, and long holiday weekends create the perfect windows for getaways.”