AAA warns of record Memorial Day travel, peak road congestion this weekend
Record 45 million Americans are heading out for Memorial Day, with peak gridlock Thursday, Friday and Monday and gas near $4.55 a gallon.
Record Memorial Day travel is set to jam highways nationwide, with AAA projecting 45 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home between Thursday, May 21 and Monday, May 25. Most will drive, and most of the trouble will hit at the same time: the worst congestion is expected Thursday and Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., with another surge Monday afternoon.
That timing puts families in a clear bind. If a trip can start early, AAA and INRIX say the morning offers the best chance to avoid the longest backups. Sunday is expected to be the lightest traffic day, making it the best window for drivers who can shift departure plans. For anyone stuck leaving after work on Thursday or Friday, the road will be slower and the gas bill will be steeper.
AAA says 39.1 million people are expected to drive, 3.66 million will fly and 2.2 million will travel by bus, train or cruise. Driving still accounts for 87% of Memorial Day travelers, but the cost pressure is sharper this year: AAA says pump prices are the highest since the summer of 2022, and the national average for regular gasoline was $3.17 on Memorial Day last year. UPI reported the national average at $4.55 on May 20, while GasBuddy put it at $4.47 on May 18 and warned of another possible spike before the holiday.
That price gap is shaping the tradeoff for households deciding whether to drive or book a ticket. AAA says domestic round-trip airfare is 6% cheaper than last year, with an average ticket price of $800 for travelers who booked early. Domestic car rentals are 1% cheaper than last year, but Hertz says Thursday and Friday will be the busiest pickup days, with the strongest demand in Orlando, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Boston. Those same cities are among AAA’s top rental-car demand markets, alongside the destinations drawing the largest crowds overall.
AAA lists Orlando, Seattle and New York as the top domestic Memorial Day destinations, while UPI reported the leading international choices are Rome, Vancouver and Paris. Theme parks, cruises in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, and European trips are all pulling strong demand even as fuel prices weigh on budgets.
Safety remains part of the cost equation. Last Memorial Day weekend, AAA handled more than 350,000 roadside assistance calls for dead batteries, flat tires and empty fuel tanks. The group is urging drivers to check batteries, tire pressure and fluids before leaving, then slow down, move over and drive sober.
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