AAA says 45 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home between May 21 and 25 for Memorial Day, setting a new record and edging past last year’s total. The travel group also expects 969,000 Hoosiers to be on the move during the holiday period.
The bulk of them will go by car. AAA projects 39.1 million people will drive over Memorial Day weekend, including 878,000 Hoosiers, even as current pump prices are the highest they have been since 2022. Drivers are expected to pay more at the pump than they did in 2025, but demand has not let up.
Stacey Barber said Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer and, for most Americans, is simply a three-day weekend. She said travel demand remains strong despite higher fuel prices, with many people still choosing to spend the holiday on the road or in the air.
That pattern is not limited to driving. AAA expects 3.66 million people to fly to their destinations during the holiday weekend, and it says roundtrip domestic flights are 6% cheaper than they were last year. Travel by bus, train or cruise is also expected to increase, underscoring how widely Americans are spreading out their holiday plans.
The heaviest congestion should hit on May 21 and 22 between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., then again on the afternoon of May 25, when many travelers head home. Sunday should be the lightest day for traffic. That makes the holiday’s calendar part of the story: the same long weekend that draws record numbers of travelers is also likely to jam the roads at both ends.
The answer to the pressure point is already clear. Even with gas at its highest level since 2022 and more costly driving than a year ago, Americans are still treating Memorial Day Weekend as the first major escape of summer, and they are doing it in record numbers.
