PITTSBURGH – AAA projects 45 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home for Memorial Day between Thursday, May 21, and Monday, May 25.

This is slightly higher than 2025 when 44.8 million people traveled for the holiday. The 2026 domestic travel forecast sets a new Memorial Day weekend travel record with 39.1 million travelers expected to drive and 3.66 million expected to fly to their destinations. While gas prices are higher than last Memorial Day weekend, average ticket prices for flights are lower than last year.

“The majority of Americans will drive over the three-day Memorial Day weekend even though gas prices are much higher than they were last year,” said Jim Garrity, director of public affairs, AAA East Central. “The demand for travel is still strong and with Memorial Day marking the unofficial start of summer, many people are prioritizing leisure travel and spending those discretionary dollars.”

Memorial Day Travelers by Mode of Transportation

By Car: AAA projects 39.1 million people will travel by car over Memorial Day weekend, a slight jump over last year. Driving is the most popular way to travel and makes up 87% of the share of Memorial Day travelers. This holiday weekend, drivers are paying more at the pump compared to last year when the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline was $3.17 on Memorial Day. Currently, pump prices are the highest they’ve been since 2022.

With a record number of travelers on the road this holiday weekend, AAA reminds drivers to put safety first, Slow Down, Move Over, and drive sober. Before hitting the road, check your car’s battery, tire pressure, and fluids. Last Memorial Day weekend, AAA responded to more than 350,000 emergency roadside assistance calls to help stranded drivers with issues like dead batteries, flat tires, and empty fuel tanks.

For travelers who are renting cars over Memorial Day weekend, AAA car rental partner Hertz says Thursday and Friday are expected to be the busiest pick-up days. The top 5 markets with the highest demand are Orlando, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver, and Boston. According to AAA booking data, domestic car rentals are 1% cheaper this holiday weekend compared to last year.

By Air: AAA projects 3.66 million travelers will take domestic flights over Memorial Day weekend, a small increase over last year. Air travelers make up 8% of the share of travelers this holiday weekend. According to AAA data, which is based on what travelers paid when they booked their Memorial Day weekend trips, roundtrip domestic flights are 6% cheaper compared to last year, with an average ticket costing $800.

By Other Modes: Travel by other modes is expected to go up by 5% with 2.2 million people traveling by bus, train, or cruise over Memorial Day weekend. Alaska cruise season kicks off this time of year, and the popularity of Alaska cruises is a driving factor in this category’s growth.