37 Million People Predicted to Travel This Memorial Day Weekend

Planning on hitting the road this Memorial Day weekend? Whether you’re heading to a Disney destination or just looking for a wee road trip- be prepared for traffic!  According to a recent piece on Fox 29, the AAA have released some interesting statistics on just how busy things are expected to get over the long weekend. 

According to AAA Travel, 37 million Americans are expected to hit the road and take to the skies for the first real public holiday since COVID-19 restrictions started to ease. 

This would be a 60% increase from 2020 which isn’t a surprise really considering most people were in quarantine.  However, it does marks a definite rebound for the travel industry after the CDC’s announcement that fully vaccinated individuals are free to travel domestically. 

Though these figures may seem massive, they still fall 13% short of the numbers set in 2019. 

“As more people get the COVID-19 vaccine and consumer confidence grows, Americans are demonstrating a strong desire to travel this Memorial Day,” Paula Twidale, senior vice president, AAA Travel, said in a statement. “This pent-up demand will result in a significant increase in Memorial Day travel, which is a strong indicator for summer, though we must all remember to continue taking important safety precautions.”

Photo: CBS Washington

The AAA breaks down these figures further saying that of the 37 million, 34.4 million are expected to be travelling by car and 2.5 million by flying. 

For those living in larger metropolitan areas looking to get away for the weekend, be mindful of the popular times for commuting in your area and try to avoid them. There will likely be much longer delays which could put a damper on your travel plans.  Another options is to aim for alternate routes known for having less traffic.