Nearly 3.4 million Americans will fly over the five-day Memorial Day weekend, according to AAA estimates. That would be the busiest airport travel weekend since 2005 and set up the summer travel season as one for the record books.
It would be a 5.4% jump in airline passengers over 2019 and an 11% jump from last year’s “revenge travel” trend, despite higher ticket prices. An estimated 42.3 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home during the unofficial start of summer, up 7% from 2022, AAA said.
More people will hit the road, with 37.1 million expected to drive to their destinations, up 6% from last year, but 500,000 shy of 2019. Gas prices are lower than last year, averaging $3.54 a gallon compared with more than $4 a gallon in 2022.
TheVacationer.com expects nearly 165 million American adults to travel over Memorial Day weekend, with 61% of those surveyed planning road trips, and 60% planning a cookout. Two-thirds of respondents said inflation was affecting their travel plans, including 13% citing high airfares.
Hopper economist Haley Berg told ABC that last-minute domestic airfares average $275 per ticket, down $100 from last year, while round trip tickets to Europe, Americans’ favorite international destination, average $1,300. Rental cars are about $44 a day, down 17% from last year, and hotel prices have dropped 6% to $208 a night.
Airfares costing 40% more this year haven’t cooled demand. International bookings are 250% higher from 2022, international car rentals are up 80%, International Driving Permits have nearly doubled, and RushMyPassport is seeing record applications for expedited passport and visa services, AAA said.
Write to Janet H. Cho at janet.cho@dowjones.com
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