Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, and Americans will kick off the season by traveling in near-record numbers. According to AAA, more than 41.5 million Americans will travel this Memorial Day weekend, nearly 5 percent more than last year and the most in more than a dozen years (2005).
Even as gas prices rise like outside temperatures, AAA still expects an
additional 2 million people will take to planes, trains, automobiles and
other modes of transportation. INRIX, a global transportation analytics
company, expects travel delays on major roads could be 2-3 times longer than
normal, with the busiest days being Thursday and Friday (May 24-25), as
commuters mix with holiday travelers.
“Higher gas prices will not be enough to keep travelers home this Memorial
Day weekend,” said Vicky Evans, Assistant Vice President, Travel Sales
Development, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “A strong economy and growing
consumer confidence are giving Americans all the motivation they need to
kick off what we expect to be a busy summer travel season with a Memorial
Day getaway.”
By The Numbers: 2018 Memorial Day holiday travel forecast
* Total Travelers: More than 41.5 million Americans (811,069 from
Wisconsin) will travel on Memorial Day Weekend, a nearly 5 percent increase
over last year.
* National Travel volume has increased by 6 million since 2014 and 11
million since the 2009 recession-driven low.
* Automobiles: The vast majority of travelers – 36.6 million
nationally, 733,397 in Wisconsin – will hit the road this Memorial Day,
approximately 4.7 percent more than last year.
* Planes: 3.1 million people will travel by air across the US (more
than 44,000 in Wisconsin), a nearly 7 percent increase and the fifth year of
consecutive air travel volume increases.
* Trains, Buses, Rails and Cruise Ships: Travel across these sectors
will increase by over 2 percent to 1.8 million passengers nationally (33,574
in Wisconsin).
* Gas prices for this holiday weekend will be the most expensive in
four years.
