Quick facts:
- More than 43.8 million Americans are expected to travel this weekend, making it one of the busiest Memorial Day weekends in nearly two decades.
- Thursday and Friday are expected to be the busiest travel days.
- The roads will likely be busiest from noon to 7 p.m., so try leaving before 11 a.m. if you can. If you're flying, get to the airport at least two hours early.
LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — This summer travel season is set to kick off with one of the busiest Memorial Day weekends in nearly two decades. AAA has released new data projecting a significant increase in travel compared to previous years.
More than 43.8 million Americans are projected to travel this Memorial Day weekend nationwide — a 4% increase from last year. Air travel is also expected to rise, with 3.51 million people flying. That's nearly 5% more than in 2023.
"It's always a surprise when you see record-high travel numbers. When you get numbers we haven’t seen since 2005, that tells you something. In 2005, we rebounded from 9/11 when travel started to get back to those numbers, so you can see how significant these records are," said AAA spokesperson John Treanor.
"In a town like this that depends on tourism so much, everyone was waiting to see when we hit those pre-pandemic numbers.”
Thursday and Friday are expected to be the busiest travel days. If you're flying, AAA recommends arriving at the airport two hours before departure.
AAA says the roads will be busiest from noon to 7 p.m. If you’re planning a road trip this Memorial Day weekend, the best time to leave is before 11 a.m.
For more travel tips and updates, visit AAA's website.
