AAA says 45 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home for Memorial Day weekend, a record for the holiday and a slight increase from last year. The travel window runs from Thursday, May 21, through Monday, May 25, and most of those trips will be taken by car.
Stacey Barber, who speaks for AAA, said Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer and, for most Americans, it is a three-day weekend. That is the core of the surge: 39.1 million people are projected to drive, compared with 3.66 million who will fly and 2.2 million who will travel by bus, train or cruise. Driving accounts for 87% of Memorial Day travelers, underscoring how heavily the holiday still leans on the road network even as other modes edge higher.
The numbers matter because they point to another busy holiday period even with costs moving in different directions. AAA said roundtrip domestic flights are 6% cheaper than a year ago, with an average ticket price of $800, and domestic car rentals are 1% cheaper. Travel by other modes is expected to rise 5%. At the same time, pump prices are the highest they have been since the summer of 2022, which usually would be enough to cool some road trips.
Barber said travel demand remains strong and, despite higher fuel prices, many people are still choosing leisure travel during holiday breaks. That helps explain why airfare has held up: AAA said most booked domestic flights were purchased before rising jet fuel prices started to affect ticket costs. The split between cheaper flights and expensive gas leaves travelers making a familiar holiday calculation — pay more at the pump or go somewhere that can still be reached without a plane.
Last Memorial Day weekend, AAA responded to more than 350,000 emergency roadside assistance calls, a reminder that the holiday rush is not just about traffic counts but breakdowns, delays and long waits along the way. The association’s forecast, issued on May 11, points to another packed weekend on highways, at airports and on routes tied to the unofficial start of summer.
For travelers, the outlook is straightforward: Memorial Day 2026 is shaping up as a record-setting holiday in which the road remains king, flights are somewhat easier on the wallet and the biggest risk is still the same one that follows every rush — too many people trying to move at once.
