While some of us might be cooking up hot dogs and hamburgers in our back yards, millions of people are planning to travel for the long Memorial Day weekend. In fact, the holiday weekend is expected to be one of the busiest on record. So, where is everybody going?
Although casinos have popped up in states all over the country in recent years, Las Vegas remains a popular tourist destination.
Sin City is expected to be the top destination for travelers over Memorial Day weekend, according to Skyscanner.
New York City checks in second on the list of nine, followed by Los Angeles, Fort Lauderdale and Orlando. San Francisco is projected to be the sixth most-visited destination, followed by yet another Florida city: Miami. Honolulu comes in at number eight, followed by Atlanta at number nine.
Meantime, the number of international bookings is 250% higher compared to 2022, according to AAA. Topping the list of top international destinations is London, followed by Paris, Rome, Tokyo and Cancun, Skyscanner reports.
AAA is warning people to arrive at airports at least three hours early to accommodate for the heavier-than-normal crowds.
And crowds will definitely be heavier than normal -- no matter which way you plan on traveling. AAA says 42.3 million Americans are expected to make a holiday trek this year.
The projected number, which represents an 7% increase over last year, comes after U.S. gas prices have dropped to an average of $3.50 per gallon, according to the AAA. With 37.1 million Americans expected to drive to their destinations, Memorial Day road trips are up 6% over last year.
As a result, the agency is expecting to see "the third busiest Memorial Day weekend since 2000," AAA Travel VP Paula Twidale said in a statement.
But not all Memorial Day travelers will be on the roads. Twidale says airports, which have seen a 40% increase in business, are expected to experience their busiest holiday weekend since 2005. Nearly 3.4 million travelers are expected to fly to their destinations this Memorial Day.
"This summer travel season could be one for the record books, especially at airports," she said.
A little planning ahead will save you some time in the long run. INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, expects Friday, May 26 to be the busiest day on the roads during the long weekend. The best times to travel by car are in the morning or evening after 6 p.m. The lightest traffic days will be Saturday and Sunday. Major metro areas like Boston, New York, Seattle, and Tampa will likely see travel times double compared to normal.
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