With Memorial Day right around the corner, many Americans are expected to be on the move rather than sticking around for the hometown barbecues.
AAA is projecting over 45 million people will travel more than 50 miles away from home during this year’s Memorial Day holiday period from Thursday, May 22, to Monday, May 26. If that number holds, it will make for the busiest Memorial Day weekend ever – breaking the record set in 2005 by over a million travelers.
Despite economic concerns over tariffs being handed out by President Donald Trump and the effect they are having on consumers, loads of travelers will be making cost-effective trips to get out of town, according to Vice President of AAA Travel Stacey Barber.
“Memorial Day weekend getaways don’t have to be extravagant and costly,” Barber said. “While some travelers embark on dream vacations and fly hundreds of miles across the country, many families just pack up the car and drive to the beach or take a road trip to visit friends. Long holiday weekends are ideal for travel because many people have an extra day off work and students are off from school.”
Of the 45.1 million projected Memorial Day travelers, the majority are expected to use cars as their mode of transportation. AAA projects 39.4 million people will travel via the roadways, making for an additional one million travelers compared to last year.
This year, drivers have the benefit of cheaper gas prices. Last Memorial Day, the national average for a gallon of regular fuel was $3.59. This spring – thanks to lower crude oil prices – gasoline prices haven’t seen the typical seasonal spikes. The current cost for a gallon of regular stands at $3.18 nationally and $2.66 in Mississippi.
Airports are also bracing for another bustling holiday weekend. The report projects 3.61 million passengers will take to the friendly skies, which would be a nearly 2% increase over last year. Trains, buses, and cruises are expected to pick up another 2.08 million people.
