AAA: Memorial Day Weekend Travel Rising

The unofficial start to summer will be a busy one this year as AAA predicts 39.2 million people nationwide will travel 50 miles or more from home Memorial Day weekend.

This is an increase of 8.3% over 2021, bringing travel volumes almost in line with those in 2017.

Air travel continues to rebound, up 25% over last year, the second-largest increase since 2010.

With volumes closing in on pre-pandemic levels, AAA urges travelers to remember flexibility is key this Memorial Day weekend.

Air travel volume, which began to rally last Thanksgiving, will hit levels just shy of 2019 with 3 million people expected to take to the skies.

In fact, the percentage of people traveling by air will surpass 2019 levels.

AAA finds that mid-range hotel rates have increased about 42%.