by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 9:10 AM ET, Mon May 11, 2026
Approximately 45 million Americans are expected to travel for Memorial Day Weekend this year, according to new data from AAA.
The new domestic travel forecast predicts a slightly higher number of Americans will be taking trips at least 50 miles from their house anytime between Thursday, May 21 and Monday, May 25.
Around 39.1 million people will be traveling via car, while 3.66 million will travel by plane.
“Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, and for most Americans, it’s a three-day weekend,” said Stacey Barber, Vice President of AAA Travel. “Travel demand remains strong, and despite higher fuel prices, many people are prioritizing leisure travel during holiday breaks.”
A record number of travelers will be on the road during Memorial Day weekend, even with record-high gas prices.
Traveling via cruise, rail or bus will increase 5% this year, with around 2.2 million travelers taking these alternate travel methods. Alaska’s popular cruise season is the major growth factor for alternative travel methods this year.
The top Memorial Day Weekend destinations in the United States are Orlando, Seattle, New York, Las Vegas, Miami, San Francisco, Anchorage, Chicago, Denver and Boston—all major destinations and large cities in their own rights. Anchorage and Seattle are popular ports for Alaska’s summer cruise season.
Internationally, travelers are heading to Rome, Vancouver, Paris, London, Athens, Dublin, Barcelona, Southampton, Amsterdam and Edinburgh. They’re all major cities, with Southampton and Amsterdam being especially popular ports for river cruises to begin.
Transportation data provider INRIX warns that the heaviest congestion on the roads will be on Thursday and Friday between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., along with Monday afternoon.
The best times to travel by car during the holiday weekend are as follows:
- Thursday, May 21: after 9:00 p.m.
- Friday, May 22: before 11:00 a.m.
- Saturday, May 23: before 11:00 a.m.
- Sunday, May 24: any time (minimal traffic impact expected)
- Monday, May 25: before 10:00 a.m.
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