A record number of Americans are expected to go on trips by car this Memorial Day weekend, and airports might be busier than they have been since 2005, according to a prediction published Monday by AAA.
The auto club expects 43.8 million individuals will travel 50 miles or more from home over the holiday weekend, exceeding levels before the pandemic. This is a 4 percent increase from the same period last year and close to the 2005 record of 44 million Memorial Day weekend travelers.
“We haven’t seen Memorial Day weekend travel numbers like these in almost 20 years,” said Paula Twidale, AAA Travel’s senior vice president. “We're projecting an additional one 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.”
Road travelers are expected to reach a record 38.4 million, the highest number since AAA began tracking in 2000. While gas prices are similar to last year at about $3.57 per gallon, AAA cautioned that “prices may creep higher,” with fluctuating oil prices being a “wildcard” and conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine potentially affecting oil markets.
Another 3.5 million people are expected to fly, making it the most crowded Memorial Day weekend in almost two decades. In 2005, a record 3.6 million travelers flew during Memorial Day weekend as the travel industry rebounded from the Sept. 11 terrorist attack.
Demand for other methods of transportation including buses, trains and cruises is also rebounding from the impact of the pandemic. An estimated 1.9 million people are expected to use one of these alternative modes of transportation, up 5.6 percent from a year ago.
“This category took the biggest hit during the pandemic with fewer people using 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.”
