AAA projects 45.1 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home over the Memorial Day holiday period (Thursday, May 22 to Monday, May 26). This year’s domestic travel forecast is an increase of 1.4 million travelers compared to last year, and sets a new Memorial Day weekend record.
“Despite concerns over rising prices, many Americans are planning to take advantage of the holiday, even if the trips are closer to home,” said Jillian Young, director of public relations for AAA Northeast. “Long holiday weekend getaways don’t have to be extravagant, and having a day off from work and school allows many families to take that much-anticipated road trip.”
Memorial Day Travelers by Mode of Transportation
By Car
Road trips are driving the numbers this Memorial Day, with 87% of travelers choosing to drive. AAA projects 39.4 million people will travel by car over the holiday weekend, an additional 1 million travelers compared to last year. Road trippers are benefiting from cheaper gas prices this year, with the average pump price in Rhode Island down 65 cents from last year, as of May 11.
For drivers who are renting cars over Memorial Day weekend, AAA car rental partner Hertz says Friday, May 23 is expected to be the busiest day for pickup.
By Air
AAA projects 3.61 million domestic air passengers, a nearly 2% increase over last year when 3.55 million travelers took to the skies. AAA booking data shows domestic flights are 2% more expensive compared to last year, based on what travelers paid when booking Memorial Day weekend flights.
By Other Modes
Travel by other modes continues to steadily rise post-pandemic. AAA projects 2.08 million people will travel by train, bus or cruise over Memorial Day weekend, an 8.5% increase over last year. This category is now surpassing pre-pandemic numbers from 2018 and 2019 as cruising continues to boom; it doesn’t reach the record numbers of the early 2000s though, when many travelers opted for trains and buses over air travel.
Best and Worst Times to Drive
Travelers hoping to avoid the heaviest traffic over the Memorial Day weekend should hit the road in the morning, according to transportation data provider INRIX. Boston and New York are among the metros that can expect the heaviest traffic.
| Best and Worst Times to Travel by Car | ||
| Date | Worst Travel Time | Best Travel Time |
| Thursday, May 22 | 1-9 p.m. | Before 12 p.m. |
| Friday, May 23 | 12-8 p.m. | Before 11 a.m. |
| Saturday, May 24 | 2-6 p.m. | Before 12 p.m. |
| Sunday, May 25 | 1-5 p.m. | Before 1 p.m. |
| (Memorial Day) Monday, May 26 | 4-7 p.m. | Before 2 p.m. |
AAA’s Top Memorial Day Weekend Destinations
The top holiday destinations listed below are based on AAA booking data for trips between Thursday, May 22 and Monday, May 26. Orlando, Florida, tops the domestic list thanks to its popular theme parks and nearby cruise port, Port Canaveral. Cruising is also the reason Seattle and Anchorage, Alaska, made the top 10 list, since Memorial Day kicks off peak Alaska cruise season. Vancouver is also popular because of its cruise port. Internationally, Rome is the number one destination.
| DOMESTIC | INTERNATIONAL |
| Orlando, Florida | Rome, Italy |
| Seattle | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| New York City | Paris, France |
| Las Vegas | London, England |
| Miami | Athens, Greece |
| San Francisco | Dublin, Ireland |
| Anchorage, Alaska | Barcelona, Spain |
| Chicago | Southampton, England |
| Denver | Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Boston | Edinburgh, Scotland |
AAA Northeast is a not-for-profit auto club with offices in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, New Hampshire and New York, providing nearly 6.8 million local AAA members with travel, insurance, financial and auto-related services.
