Memorial Day weekend travel this year is expected to break the travel record for the holiday, with more than 45 million Americans expected to hit the road between Thursday and Monday next week.
AAA is projecting 45.1 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home during the four-day period, representing an increase of 1.4 million travelers from last year.
The previous Memorial Day record was notched in 2005, with 44 million people on the move.
“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,” Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, said in a statement earlier this month. “Long holiday weekends are ideal for travel because many people have an extra day off work and students are off from school.”
About 39.4 million people are expected to travel by car, while 3.61 million will opt for flying to their destination, the AAA projects.
May 23, Friday, is expected to be the busiest day for securing a rental vehicle, according to Hertz. The cities that have the highest demands for rental cars include San Francisco; Denver; Orlando, Fla.; Miami; Seattle; and Las Vegas.
Domestic flights are 2 percent more expensive compared to 2024, according to AAA’s booking data. The most popular destinations for travelers this year are New York City, Orlando, Denver, Seattle and Chicago.
Those traveling via car will encounter cheaper prices at the pump. The prices for Memorial Day weekend are expected to be the least expensive in recent years when adjusted for inflation, according to an analysis by GasBuddy.
The national average will be $3.08 per gallon on Memorial Day.
“While we’re forecasting the lowest summer gas prices in years, economic jitters are slightly dampening optimism — but we still expect a robust travel season, with millions of Americans hitting the road, many for extended trips,” said Patrick De Haan, the head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.