AAA: 2023 Memorial Day Travel to Be Third Busiest Since 2000

This year’s Memorial Day travel weekend is expected to be busy. That’s according to holiday projections from the Automobile Association of America (AAA).

For the period between May 25 and May 29, largely seen as the two bookends of Memorial Day weekend in the U.S., AAA expects 42.3 million people to travel 50 miles or more away from their homes. That number is a 7% increase over 2022 and the third highest since 2000, the year that AAA began monitoring holiday travel.

AAA says that most of those will drive to their holiday destination—87%, or 37.1 million, will drive, which is 6% higher than last year. That is expected to be buoyed by gasoline prices that are significantly lower than 2022—the national average today is $3.53 per gallon, compared to $4.47 a year ago.

“Driving is always the most popular mode of holiday travel,” said Robert Sinclair of AAA Northeast. “Drivers can set their own schedule and have transportation at their destination.”

When it comes to traffic, drivers will fare better depending on their timing. According to traffic tracking company INRIX, the worst times to drive will be the Thursday and Friday before the holiday from 3 pm to 6 pm, and the Monday holiday from 12 pm to 3 pm. The best time to travel is before noon Thursday, Friday, and Monday.

Most of the rest of the travelers, 11% or 3.4 million, will fly. International travel will dominate those flights—according to AAA, international travel bookings are up 250% over 2022. Those travelers are headed to some signature European destinations, including Rome, Paris, Dublin, London, Barcelona, and Athens.