The unofficial start of summer will draw tens of millions of people to the roads and skies this weekend, according to a warning from AAA.
AAA Northeast projects that 43.8 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from home during the Memorial Day travel period of May 23-27, a 4% increase over last year that exceeds pre-pandemic levels by first time.
“We expect to see a lot of traffic on the roads and in the skies this Memorial Day weekend,” said Mark Schieldrop, chief spokesperson for AAA Northeast. “We project 1 million additional travelers this holiday weekend compared to 2019, which not only means we are weathering the lulls of the pandemic era, but also signals a busy summer travel season ahead. “.
Road travel is expected to set a record this year, and AAA projects that more than 38 million people will travel by car over Memorial Day weekend, the highest number for the holiday since AAA began to follow up in 2000.
Airports are also preparing for a surge in travelers, as AAA expects 3.51 million people to fly somewhere this holiday weekend, and nearly 2 million people are expected to travel by other modes of transportation, including buses, trains and cruise ships.
Best and worst times to drive
According to AAA, drivers leaving on Thursday or Friday should expect the heaviest traffic during the afternoon, when commuters mix with commuters, according to data from transportation analytics firm INRIX.
Travelers returning home on Sunday or Monday should avoid the afternoon hours, when return trips are likely to peak.
Here are the best and worst times to travel by car, based on each day of the holiday weekend.
Thursday May 23
Worst hours: 12 – 6 pm
Best time: Before 11 a.m., after 7 p.m.
Friday May 24
Worst hours: 12 – 7 pm
Best time: Before 11 a.m., after 8 p.m.
Saturday May 25
Worst time: 2 – 5 pm
Best time: Before 1 pm, after 6 pm
Sunday May 26
Worst hours: 3 – 7 pm
Best time: Before 1 pm
Monday, May 27
Worst hours: 3 – 7 pm
Best time: After 7 pm
Main destinations
AAA data shows that travelers are looking for theme parks and entertainment venues in Orlando, New York, Las Vegas and California. Florida beaches and cruise ports are also expected to be full.
The top 10 domestic destinations, according to AAA reservation data, are Orlando, Florida; Seattle, Washington; New York, New York; The Vegas, Nevada; Anaheim/Los Angeles, California; Denver, Colorado; Anchorage, Alaska; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Miami Florida; and Boston, Massachusetts.
Hertz reports that the highest demand for rental cars this weekend is in Orlando, Denver, Atlanta, Boston and Las Vegas.
The top 10 international destinations this weekend, AAA booking data shows, are Rome, Italy; Vancouver, BC, Canada; London England; Paris France; Dublin, Ireland; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Athens, Greece; Barcelona, Spain; St. George, Bermuda; and Edinburgh, Scotland.
Peak Hours in Boston
Peak congestion period from Manchester to Boston via I-93 south will be Sunday at 8:45 a.m., AAA says. It will take approximately one hour and 48 minutes, which is a 50% increase compared to usual.
