Memorial Day holiday travel may near record with 44M hitting the road: AAA

The American Automobile Association is anticipating a record-tying nearly 44 million travelers — a vast majority hitting the road for at least 50 miles — on the upcoming Memorial Day Weekend.

“We haven’t seen Memorial Day Weekend travel numbers like these in almost 20 years,” Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel, said of the expected 43.8 million to hit the road between Thursday, May 23, and Monday, May 27.

“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.”  

The last time 44 million people hit the road on MDW was 2005, according to the association.

This year’s projections — 38.4 million folks by car alone — are also 4% higher than in 2023 and have surged 1.9% above 2019 figures as well.

“Travel times are expected to be up to 90% longer than normal,” said Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at transit data company INRIX. “Travelers should stay up-to-date on traffic apps, 511 services and local news stations to avoid sitting in traffic longer than necessary.”

In New York City, the Bronx to Albany section of the New York State Thruway, Interstate 87, is projected to see a 64% uptick in northbound volume at about 11:45 a.m. the Thursday before Memorial Day.

That late-morning slot is the worst time to travel up I-87, which includes the Major Deegan Expressway within the city limits.

Other areas like Orlando; Las Vegas; Southern California; Seattle; Anchorage, Alaska, and Vancouver, Canada, were also flagged as high-traffic locations, thanks to an abundance of theme parks and other entertainment destinations.

Meanwhile, airports too are gearing up for an expected 3.51 million travelers over the holiday — up 4.8% from last year and 9% from 2019.

Even buses, cruises and trains are expected to see nearly 2 million people, a 5.6% surge compared to 2023.

“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.” 

The worst times to hit the road on Memorial Day Weekend