This year, over 45 million Americans are anticipated to travel within the U.S. for Memorial Day, marking a new record for holiday weekends, as indicated by an AAA forecast.
The Auto Club projects that travelers will journey more than 50 miles between May 22nd and May 26th during the holiday.
The previous record was 44 million, set back in 2005.
Moreover, AAA notes that around 87% of those expected to travel for Memorial Day will be driving for vacations, partly due to a gradual decline in gas prices.
The forecast also highlights that all types of travel are seeing a boost compared to last year.
“Memorial Day weekend getaways don’t need to be extravagant or expensive,” said Stacey Barber, AAA’s vice president of travel. “While some people may opt for their dream trips flying long distances, many families choose to load up their cars and head to the beach or visit friends on road trips.”
As travel in the U.S. rebounds since the 2020 pandemic, a few destinations are noticing a drop in tourism, especially from international visitors. Concerns about air travel safety continue to linger for some Americans.
According to AAA’s analysis of Memorial Day bookings, Orlando, Florida, is expected to be the top domestic destination for American travelers, while Rome, Italy, emerges as a notable international choice, celebrating the recent election of Pope Leo XIV.
