Memorial Day 2024 traffic will hit pre-pandemic levels, AAA says. Tips to avoid it

Seth Jacobson, Wicked Local
·3 min read

Memorial Day is coming up on May 27, and AAA Northeast is predicting a massive amount of traffic - on the road and in the skies - for that weekend.

Officials say that Memorial Day traffic has increased over the past few years.

“We’re expecting to see plenty of traffic on the roads and in the skies this Memorial Day weekend,” stated Mark Schieldrop, senior spokesperson for AAA Northeast. “We’re projecting an additional 1 million travelers this holiday weekend compared to 2019, which not only means that we’re moving beyond pandemic-era lulls but also signals a very busy summer travel season ahead.”

When is Memorial Day weekend?

Traffic leading up to the Bourne Bridge.
Traffic leading up to the Bourne Bridge.

Memorial Day weekend will last from Friday, May 24 to Monday, May 27, though officials say that the traffic will begin on Thursday, May 23.

How many travelers will be on the road that weekend?

According to AAA Northeast, the agency is predicting that "43.8 million travelers will head 50 miles or more" from home this holiday weekend.

What is the best time to leave Memorial Day weekend if you want to avoid traffic?

According to AAA Northeast, "Drivers leaving Thursday or Friday should expect the heaviest traffic during the afternoon, when travelers mix with commuters, according to data from transportation analytics company INRIX. Travelers going back home on Sunday or Monday should avoid the afternoon hours when return trips will likely peak."

Will Memorial Day traffic be worse in 2024 that previous years?

A graphic depicting the AAA Northeast travel forecast for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend.
A graphic depicting the AAA Northeast travel forecast for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend.

AAA Northeast stated that this year's number of travelers on the roads is expected to be a 4% increase over last year, which, the agency noted, "exceeds pre-pandemic levels (in 2019) for the first time."

AAA expects that about 38.4 million people will travel by car over Memorial Day weekend, which is "the highest number for the holiday since AAA began tracking in 2000."

The agency added that amount of automobiles would be a 4% increase over last year and "1.9% higher than in 2019."

What is AAA expecting in terms of air travel?

For the Memorial Day weekend, AAA is predicting that there will be 3.51 million air travelers, which is "an increase of 4.8% over last year and a 9% jump compared to 2019."

What about other modes of travel?

AAA stated that there will be about 2 million people traveling via other modes of transportation, like buses, trains and boats. That 2 million people would "be an increase of 5.6% over last year," AAA noted.

Where are people heading this Memorial Day weekend?

AAA is stating that the top destinations this year on Memorial Day weekend are:

  • Orlando

  • New York City

  • Las Vegas

  • Southern California

  • Seattle

  • Anchorage, Alaska

  • Vancouver, British Columbia.

But data from Hertz suggests Boston will still be wicked busy, with it coming in as one of the top 5 cities for car rental demands.

Hertz car rentals is reporting that the "cities boasting the highest rental demand this Memorial Day weekend are Orlando, Denver, Atlanta, Boston and Las Vegas," according to AAA.

AAA stated that the top international destinations this Memorial Day weekend are Rome, Vancouver, London, Paris, Dublin, Amsterdam, Greece (Athens), Spain (Barcelona), Bermuda and Scotland (Edinburgh).

This article originally appeared on wickedlocal.com: Memorial Day 2024 traffic expected by AAA to be heavy. How to avoid it