AAA Predicts Nearly 44M Travelers for Memorial Day Weekend

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AAA predicted that almost 44 million Americans will be traveling for Memorial Day weekend, the busiest since 2005.

“We’re projecting an additional 1 million travelers this holiday weekend compared to 2019, which not only means we’re exceeding pre-pandemic levels but also signals a very busy summer travel season ahead,” Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel, said in a statement.

AAA said most Americans will take road trips, followed by air travel, buses, cruises, and trains.

An estimated 38.4 million people are expected to travel by car, up 4% compared to last year.

But “the wildcard remains the cost of oil, and unlike last year, there are now two wars — in the Middle East and Ukraine — that could roil the oil market,” AAA said.

About 3.51 million people will travel by plane, a 4.8% increase over last year, and some 1.9 million people by other modes of transportation.

INRIX transportation analyst Bob Pishue told Axios that people should expect longer travel times.

“Travelers should stay up to date on traffic apps, 511 services, and local news stations to avoid sitting in traffic longer than necessary,” he advised.