Overview
- AAA projects about 45 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles over Memorial Day weekend, a slight increase from last year.
- Driving will dominate the holiday with roughly 39.1 million car trips expected while about 3.66 million people are projected to fly and 2.2 million will use trains, buses or cruises.
- Average round‑trip domestic airfares for the holiday are near $800, about 6% cheaper than last year, as early bookings have helped hold down costs despite higher fuel prices.
- Traffic analytics firm INRIX and airlines warn of heavy congestion and packed flight schedules that raise delay risk, and weather forecasts call for storms in parts of the Plains, South and Northeast that could disrupt both roads and airports.
- Higher gas prices—national averages above $4.50 per gallon—along with rising food and lodging costs may lead many travelers to shorten trips, change destinations or stay closer to home.