45 Million People Planning Memorial Day Weekend Getaways – AAA Newsroom

WASHINGTON, DC (Could 11, 2026) – AAA tasks 45 million People will journey no less than 50 miles from residence for Memorial Day between Thursday, Could 21 and Monday, Could 25. This 12 months’s home journey forecast is barely larger than final 12 months and units a brand new Memorial Day weekend document with 39.1 million folks touring by automobile and three.66 million anticipated to fly to their locations. Whereas fuel costs are larger than final Memorial Day weekend, common ticket costs for flights are decrease than final 12 months for many who booked early. 

“Memorial Day marks the unofficial begin of summer time, and for many People, it’s a three-day weekend,” stated Stacey Barber, Vice President of AAA Journey. “Journey demand stays robust, and regardless of larger gas costs, many individuals are prioritizing leisure journey throughout vacation breaks.” 

Memorial Day Vacationers by Mode of Transportation 

By Automobile: AAA tasks 39.1 million folks will journey by automobile over Memorial Day weekend, a slight leap over final 12 months. Driving is essentially the most well-liked manner to journey and makes up 87% of the share of Memorial Day vacationers. This vacation weekend, drivers are paying extra on the pump in comparison with final 12 months when the nationwide common for a gallon of standard gasoline was $3.17 on Memorial Day. Presently, pump costs are the best they’ve been since the summer time of 2022.  

With a document variety of vacationers on the street this vacation weekend, AAA reminds drivers to place security first, Slow Down, Move Over, and drive sober. Earlier than hitting the street, examine your automobile’s battery, tire strain, and fluids. Final Memorial Day weekend, AAA responded to greater than 350,000 emergency roadside help calls to assist stranded drivers with points like useless batteries, flat tires, and empty gas tanks. 

For vacationers who’re renting automobiles over Memorial Day weekend, AAA automobile rental accomplice Hertz says Thursday and Friday are anticipated to be the busiest pick-up days. The highest 5 markets with the best demand are Orlando, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver, and Boston. In response to AAA reserving information, home automobile leases are 1% cheaper this vacation weekend in comparison with final 12 months. 

By Air: AAA tasks 3.66 million vacationers will take home flights over Memorial Day weekend, a small improve over final 12 months. Air vacationers make up 8% of the share of vacationers this vacation weekend. In response to AAA information, which is based mostly on what vacationers paid once they booked their Memorial Day weekend journeys, roundtrip home flights are 6% cheaper in comparison with final 12 months, with a mean ticket costing $800. Most of these journeys have been booked earlier than rising jet gas costs began affecting airfare. 

By Different Modes: Journey by different modes is anticipated to go up by 5% with 2.2 million folks touring by bus, practice, or cruise over Memorial Day weekend. Alaska cruise season kicks off this time of 12 months, and the recognition of Alaska cruises is a driving issue on this class’s progress. 

AAA’s High Memorial Day Weekend Locations 

Memorial Day weekend vacationers are taking journeys to theme parks and well-known landmarks, boarding cruises within the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, and flying to Europe to go to iconic capital cities. Listed below are the highest 10 home and worldwide locations, based mostly on AAA reserving information.  

Greatest/Worst Instances to Drive and Peak Congestion by Metro 

INRIX, a supplier of transportation information and insights, says Memorial Day weekend drivers ought to count on the heaviest congestion on Thursday and Friday between 3pm and 6pm and Monday afternoon. Sunday must be the lightest day for visitors, barring any sudden occasions on the street. In response to INRIX, as congestion strikes out of metro areas throughout vacation intervals and onto highways, the chance of crashes will increase as many drivers navigate unfamiliar routes exterior of their regular commuting patterns. This stresses the significance of getting a great evening’s relaxation earlier than a street journey, planning your route forward of time, and driving undistracted and sober. 

Please notice the occasions listed beneath are for the time zone through which the metro is situated. For instance, Atlanta routes = ET and Los Angeles routes = PT. 

SOURCE: INRIX

Vacation Journey Forecast Methodology  

In cooperation with AAA, S&P International Market Intelligence (SPGMI) developed a singular methodology to forecast precise home journey volumes. The financial variables used to forecast journey for the present vacation are leveraged from SPGMI’s proprietary databases. These information embody macroeconomic drivers similar to employment, output, family internet price, asset costs together with inventory indices, rates of interest, housing market indicators, and variables associated to journey and tourism, together with gasoline costs, airline journey, and resort stays. AAA and SPGMI have quantified vacation journey volumes going again to 2000. 

Historic journey quantity estimates come from MMGY’s TRAVEL PERFORMANCE/MonitorSM. The PERFORMANCE/MonitorSM is a complete research measuring the journey conduct of U.S. residents. MMGY contacts over 50,000 U.S. households every month to acquire detailed journey information, ensuing within the distinctive capability to estimate customer quantity and spending, establish developments, and forecast U.S. journey conduct, all after the journeys have been taken.   

The journey forecast is reported in person-trips. Specifically, AAA and SPGMI forecast the whole U.S. vacation journey quantity and anticipated mode of transportation. The journey forecast introduced on this report was finalized the week of April 13, 2026. 

As a result of AAA vacation forecasts deal with home leisure journey solely, comparisons to TSA passenger screening numbers shouldn’t be made. TSA information consists of all passengers touring on each home and worldwide routes, whether or not touring for work or leisure. Moreover, TSA screens passengers every time they enter secured areas of the airport, due to this fact every one-way journey is counted as a passenger tally. AAA focuses on person-trips, which embody the total round-trip journey itinerary. Consequently, direct comparisons of AAA forecast volumes and each day TSA screenings characterize various factors. 

INRIX Methodology 

INRIX blends statistically grounded fashions with real-world street conduct to forecast journey circumstances on essentially the most closely traveled routes throughout the U.S. throughout peak vacation intervals. INRIX’s vacation visitors forecast combines pre-selected high-impact journey routes, wealthy multi-source visitors information, and a statistically sturdy linear regression mannequin to generate detailed, time-specific journey delay predictions. INRIX’s information sources embody a big selection of vehicle-based and infrastructure-based inputs. These embody related automobile GPS information, cellular apps and navigation companies, roadside sensors and cameras, and business fleet telematics. With expansive protection, excessive temporal decision, and historic context, this forecasting course of gives important insights for vacationers, media, and companies alike. 

Memorial Day Vacation Journey Interval  

AAA’s Memorial Day vacation journey interval consists of 5 days, starting the Thursday earlier than Memorial Day and ending on Monday. 

About AAA 

Based in 1902 by automotive fans advocating for higher roads and safer mobility, AAA has grown into one among North America’s largest and most trusted membership organizations. Guided by our mission to Save Lives, Create Member Worth, and Ship Distinctive Experiences, AAA gives world-class roadside help, journey planning, unique reductions, and dependable monetary and insurance coverage companies. At this time, AAA enhances the life journey of greater than 66 million members throughout North America, together with over 58 million in the US. Be taught extra or change into a member at AAA.com. 

About S&P International Market Intelligence  

At S&P International Market Intelligence, we perceive the significance of correct, deep and insightful info. Our staff of specialists delivers unmatched insights and main information and expertise options, partnering with clients to increase their perspective, function with confidence, and make choices with conviction. S&P International Market Intelligence is a division of S&P International (NYSE: SPGI). S&P International is the world’s foremost supplier of credit score rankings, benchmarks, analytics and workflow options within the world capital, commodity and automotive markets. With each one among our choices, we assist most of the world’s main organizations navigate the financial panorama to allow them to plan for tomorrow, at the moment. For extra info, go to spglobal.com/marketintelligence. 

About MMGY 

MMGY International is the world’s main built-in advertising and marketing agency specializing within the journey, hospitality, and life-style industries. With working manufacturers world wide, the award-winning group maintains a world communications follow in all advertising and marketing channels, serving most of the world’s premier journey and tourism manufacturers. As an organization devoted to the journey business, MMGY International strives to create a related, inclusive, and peaceable world by selling journey as a cultural bridge of understanding. For extra info, go to www.mmgyglobal.com. 

About INRIX    

Based in 2004, INRIX pioneered clever mobility options by remodeling massive information from related units and automobiles into mobility insights. This revolutionary strategy enabled INRIX to change into one of many main suppliers of information and analytics into how folks transfer. By empowering cities, companies, and other people with priceless insights, INRIX helps to make the world smarter, safer, and greener. With companions and options spanning throughout the complete mobility ecosystem, INRIX is uniquely positioned on the intersection of expertise and transportation – whether or not it’s conserving street customers secure, enhancing visitors sign timing to scale back delay and greenhouse gasses, optimizing final mile supply, or serving to uncover market insights. Be taught extra at INRIX.com.