LOS ANGELES – Memorial Day weekend is right around the corner, which means we’re approaching the official start of summer and a busy travel season.
More than 39 million Americans are expected to hit the skies and the roads this holiday weekend, an 8% increase from last year, with travel volumes close to pre-pandemic levels.
According to AAA spokesman Andrew Gross, “This year’s top destinations are beginning to return to those that stood out before the pandemic: Orlando, Anaheim, for the theme parks, as well as London, Paris, Rome and Dublin.
Even with skyrocketing costs and rampant inflation, many are encouraged to get away, so much so that many trains and flights for Memorial Day are already sold out.
Across the country, 2.5 million passengers are expected to fly each day this holiday weekend.
According to Lindsay Schwimer, Hopper’s consumer travel expert, “If you’re going to the airport this weekend, Thursday and Friday mornings are going to be the busiest days.”
For the first time, gasoline prices in all 50 US states have averaged at least $4 a gallon, according to Triple-A data.
But the real rush will be on the roads, even as gas prices continue to rise, with the national average now at $4.60 a gallon.
Many Americans are still choosing to fill up their car with gas and drive to their destinations.
To avoid that potential traffic, experts recommend planning ahead and leaving early.
Do not travel during rush hours, on Thursday and Friday afternoons, where traffic from coast to coast, including New York, Houston and Los Angeles, is expected to increase dramatically.
And if you want to save but still need a break this Memorial Day, pick a spot close to home.
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