If you have plans to get out of town this Memorial Day weekend, you’re not alone! You and 43 million others had the same idea.
AAA is projecting a total of nearly 44 million people to travel over the holiday period. This includes travel via car and plane.
In fact, 38.5 million Americans are projected to hit the road in vehicles this Memorial Day weekend—breaking a record for the highest amount of travelers during the holiday since 2000. Transportation data provider, INRIX, explains leaving in the early morning either on Thursday or Friday was the best option for drivers to avoid as much congestion as possible, with travel times predicted to take 90% longer than the usual.
As for air travel, passengers can expect busy airports with a projected 3.51 million Americans set to take flight this weekend. According to AAA records, it will be the busiest airports have been on Memorial Day weekend since 2005.
The other nearly 2 million American travelers will be opting for buses, trains and cruises.
“Long holiday weekends like Memorial Day are the perfect way to kick off the summer travel season and Americans will be traveling in record-breaking numbers this year,” said Bevi Powell, senior vice president, AAA East Central. “Whether it’s a family road trip, a luxury cruise, or a train trip across New England, travelers are making choices that will ensure they have the trip of a lifetime.”
Domestic hotspots for the weekend include Orlando, New York, Las Vegas and Southern California. Americans partaking in international travel are expected to populate cities like Rome, Vancouver, and London.
Find more from the AAA report here.