The upcoming Memorial Day weekend is set to see crowded highways and airports as people prepare to kick off the unofficial start of summer. Recent data from the FAA and AAA indicates that travel volumes are poised to exceed pre-pandemic levels.
Thursday stood out as the second busiest day at US airports ever, with the Transportation Security Administration screening nearly 2.9 million passengers. This month has already seen five of the TSA’s 10 busiest days, signaling a significant increase in travel as summer approaches.
Last year, passenger volumes reported by the TSA slightly surpassed those of 2019 from the Thursday before Memorial Day through the Wednesday after. This year, airlines are bracing for an even busier weekend with over 269,000 flights scheduled from Thursday to Tuesday, up from 264,000 during the same period last year.
AAA is also forecasting a notable uptick in air travel, with more than 3.5 million people expected to fly over Memorial Day weekend, representing a 9% increase from 2019. In total, AAA projects nearly 44 million travelers across all modes of transportation, potentially the highest number since 2005, with the majority opting for road travel.
Gas prices will play a significant role for the estimated 38 million drivers AAA projects will be on the road, with a national average of $3.65 per gallon as of May 23. Prices vary by region, the highest being on the West Coast with California averaging about $5.16 per gallon, while the South sees the cheapest prices, with Mississippi at just over $3 per gallon.