AAA Projects Record Memorial Day Travel Despite High Gas Prices
AAA forecasts that approximately 45 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home during the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. This represents a slight increase of 0.4% from last year's figures, setting a new record for the holiday. Despite the national average gas price rising to $4.52 per gallon, up $1.39 from the previous year, 39.1 million people, or 87% of travelers, are expected to travel by car. The best times to travel by car are late Thursday and early Friday and Saturday, while the heaviest traffic is anticipated in the afternoon hours. Air travel is also expected to see a slight increase, with 3.66 million travelers flying domestically. The average round-trip domestic flight ticket is priced at $800, which is 6% cheaper than last year. Other modes of transportation, including buses, trains, and boats, are projected to increase by 5.3%, driven by the start of the Alaska cruise season. 
