Hitting the road for the unofficial start of summer? This year, AAA projects that the number of travelers leaving home for Memorial Day weekend 2024 will hit 44 million. That’s a four percent increase over last year, and second only to record numbers in 2005. Needless to say, it’s going to be a busy travel period. So listen up: here’s when to travel—and when not to travel—over Memorial Day weekend to avoid peak crowds.
“We haven’t seen Memorial Day weekend travel numbers like these in almost 20 years,” said Paula Twidale, Senior Vice President of AAA Travel. “We’re projecting an additional one million travelers this holiday weekend compared to 2019, which not only means we’re exceeding pre-pandemic levels but also signals a very busy summer travel season ahead.”
AAA has the data to help you avoid traffic, if you have some flexibility. Drivers heading out on Thursday, May 23rd, or Friday, May 24th, should be on the road before 11am or after 7pm Thursday and 8pm Friday. If you’re leaving on Saturday, May 25th, try to head out before 1pm or after 6pm. As for the return trip on Monday, May 27th, hold off until after 7pm to dodge the peak traffic.
The worst times to travel, according to AAA, is Thursday between noon and 6pm, and Friday between noon and 7pm. Expect peak congestion between 2pm and 5pm on Saturday, and from 3pm to 7pm on Sunday. On Memorial Day, prime traffic time will be between 3pm and 7pm.
If you’re traveling through major metropolitan areas, be prepared for traffic and try to avoid rush hour. “Travel times are expected to be up to 90% longer than normal. Travelers should stay up to date on traffic apps, 511 services, and local news stations to avoid sitting in traffic longer than necessary,” said Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX.
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