Memorial Day travel could be the busiest in almost 20 years

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Nearly 44 million Americans are expected to travel this Memorial Day weekend, which may make it the busiest in about two decades, according to AAA.

The Albuquerque International Sunport’s travel numbers are expected to reach new heights this weekend.

“People are fully traveling again,” said Leah Black, Sunport spokesperson. “We used to use the barometer of 2019, the pre-COVID years, to look at our numbers. That’s gone now.”

The weekend holiday rush began Thursday, with more than 53,000 flights scheduled nationwide – busier than the Thanksgiving travel rush last year.

The Sunport isn’t expecting it to slow down at all through the weekend.

“We are expecting roughly 90,000 people coming and going over these next four days this weekend,” Black said.

That’s a 4.5% increase from last year. However, travelers at the Sunport weren’t sweating it.

As far as renovations go, the new TSA area is completely open. The food court is still under construction, but that’s hidden from travelers.

Black advises travelers to arrive early in order to catch their flight.

“I know for a fact it’s going to be crazy,” she said.

If you have an early flight planned for Friday morning, you might think you’re beating the crowds, but that’s when the Sunport is actually expecting the highest number of people at the airport – between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. Friday.