Gas Prices Aren’t Slowing Travel This Memorial Day Weekend

Hitting the road for Memorial Day Weekend? You're not alone. AAA expects record travel this year, even with higher gas prices. AAA projects that 45 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home for the five day holiday weekend period that stretches from Thursday May 21 through Monday May 25th.  Of those,  87% are expected to travel by car to their destination. 

“Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, and for most Americans, it’s a three-day weekend,” said Stacey Barber, Vice President of AAA Travel. “Travel demand remains strong, and despite higher fuel prices, many people are prioritizing leisure travel during holiday breaks.”

Memorial Day Travelers by Mode of Transportation

By Car:  AAA says it projects 39.1 million people will travel by car over Memorial Day weekend, a slight jump over last year. They can expect higher gas prices compared to last year, when the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline was $3.17 on Memorial Day.  Currently, pump prices are the highest they’ve been since the summer of 2022.  To check out daily average gas prices visit AAA's Fuel Site.

For a list of the best and worst times to travel by car and peak congestions areas in various Metros click here →

With a record number of travelers on the road this holiday weekend, AAA reminds drivers to put safety first, Slow Down, Move Over, and drive sober.

Also don't hit the road before checking your car’s battery, tire pressure, and fluids. Last Memorial Day weekend, AAA says it responded to more than 350,000 emergency roadside assistance calls to help stranded drivers with issues like dead batteries, flat tires, and empty fuel tanks. 

If you're renting a car for over Memorial Day weekend, AAA says its car rental partner Hertz says Thursday and Friday are expected to be the busiest pick-up days. The top 5 markets with the highest rental car demand are Orlando, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver, and Boston.  AAA says according to its booking data, domestic car rentals are 1% cheaper this holiday weekend compared to last year.

By Air: Air travel is also expected to be slightly up this year over last. AAA projects 3.66 million travelers will take domestic flights over Memorial Day weekend, making up 8% of the share of holiday travelers. AAA says according to its data, which is based on what travelers paid when they booked their Memorial Day weekend trips, the average roundtrip domestic flight cost $800 this year, which is 6% cheaper compared to last year. AAA notes that most of those trips were booked before rising jet fuel prices started affecting airfare.

By Other Modes:  Travel by other modes is expected to go up by 5% with 2.2 million people traveling by bus, train, or cruise over Memorial Day weekend. Alaska cruise season kicks off this time of year, and AAA says the popularity of Alaska cruises is a driving factor in this category’s growth.

SOURCE: INRIX/AAA.

Photo Credit: Roschetzky Photography/Shutterstock.com.