Memorial Day weekend predicted to be busiest since 2005 for travel; what you need to know
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — It’s predicted Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial kick-off to summer, will be the busiest in nearly 20 years. What that means is crowded airports and busy highways for the Las Vegas valley.
The American Automobile Association, or AAA, projects that 43.8 million people will travel at least 50 miles between Thursday, May 23, and Monday, May 27. Nearly 90% of those travelers will be in a car which will mean traffic congestion on roads, especially on Thursday, Friday, and the Monday following the holiday. The worst times to travel on the highways will be in the afternoon and evening.
The RTC issued a travel forecast for I-15 from Las Vegas to Primm.
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Airline travel is also expected to be the busiest since 2005. A record-setting 3 million people will take to the skies for their holiday weekend, according to AAA. Harry Reid International Airport is warning travelers there will be longer than usual wait times at ticket counters, security checkpoints, shuttle bus stops and taxi lines.
It will be a “high demand” week for open spaces in the parking garages. Anyone planning to park at the airport should allow plenty of time to find a space. Having an alternative plan might be a good idea.
As in past Memorial Day Weekends, Las Vegas is among the top destinations for holiday visitors. AAA reports the most popular destination is Orlando, followed by Seattle, New York, and then Las Vegas.
When it comes to the busiest Memorial Day Weekend for travel, it was in 2005 when 400,000 people traveled which is just 200,000 more than predicted for this year’s holiday.
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Memorial Day travel is just a taste of what’s expected over the summer. Airlines for America, an industry group that represents airlines, predicts that U.S. airlines will transport 271 million passengers between June 1 and Aug. 31. That is up 6% from the summer of 2023.
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