Record Memorial Travel 2025

AAA: 2.6 Million Floridians will Travel Domestically for Memorial Day; 45.1 Million Travelers Nationwide

Road trips expected to set new record, air travel projected to increase by nearly 2%

TAMPA, FL – AAA predicts a record-breaking 2.6 million Floridians will travel at least 50 miles from home over the Memorial Day period*. That’s an increase of nearly 95,000 compared to last year.

Nationwide, AAA expects more than 45.1 million to travel for Memorial Day weekend. That’s 1.4 million more domestic travelers than last year. It’s also a new Memorial Day weekend record, surpassing the previous record set back in 2005 with 44 million people.

“Despite economic uncertainty and global challenges, travel remains a priority for Americans, with millions eager to make memories with a Memorial Day getaway,” said Debbie Haas, Vice President of Travel for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Whether travelers are looking for a quick getaway or an extended vacation, there are budget-friendly options for every plan. From a short beach retreat to an extended cruise, working with a travel advisor can help uncover exclusive discounts and create a vacation that best meets your interests and needs.”

Florida Numbers	2025	2024	2019
Total Travelers	2.64 million	2.55 million	2.3 million
Automobile	2.34 million	2.26 million	2.05 million
Airplane	230,000+	221,000+	183,000+
Other Modes	70,000+	65,000+	58,000+

National Numbers	2025	2024	2019
Total Travelers	45.1 million	43.7 million	42.8 million
Automobile	39.4 million	38.2 million	37.6 million
Airplane	3.61 million	3.55 million	3.22 million
Other Modes	2.08 million	1.92 million	1.9 million

Memorial Day Travelers by Mode of Transportation

Auto Travel

AAA projects 39.4 million people will travel by car over Memorial Day weekend. That’s one million more travelers than last year. This year, 87% of Memorial Day travelers will take a road trip.

Gas Prices: Fortunately, a trip to the gas pump should be lower than last year. On Memorial Day 2024, the national average for a gallon of regular was $3.59 per gallon. In Florida, it was $3.51/g. So far this year, Florida gas prices have averaged $3.11/g. Pump prices have Low crude oil prices have prevented the typical springtime gas price spike. prices have avoided the usual seasonal spikes, largely due to lower crude oil costs. Visit GasPrices.AAA.com view current gas price averages.

“Drivers haven’t experienced the usual springtime surge in gas prices, as economic concerns have kept oil costs low,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “With summer travel approaching, pump prices may rise with increasing fuel demand. However, global supply and demand trends will continue to be the key drivers of price fluctuations.”

Rental Cars: For drivers who are renting cars over Memorial Day weekend, AAA car rental partner Hertz says Friday, May 23 is expected to be the busiest day for pickup. SUVs are some of the most popular rental vehicles for the long holiday weekend. Hertz says the cities seeing the highest demand for rental cars include Orlando, Denver, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Miami, and Seattle – all cities in AAA’s Top Destinations list.

Air Travel

Airports are bracing for another bustling holiday weekend. AAA projects 3.61 million air passengers, a nearly 2% increase over last year when 3.55 million travelers took to the skies. While this Memorial Day weekend isn’t expected to set an air travel record (that was set back in 2005 with 3.64 million travelers), this year’s numbers are projected to surpass pre-pandemic levels by 12%.

According to AAA booking data (based on what travelers paid when booking Memorial Day weekend flights):

Domestic flights are 2% more expensive than last year, with the average roundtrip ticket costing $850.
Most of those flights are to popular destinations like Chicago, New York, Orlando, Denver, and Seattle.

Other Travel Modes

Travel by other modes continues to steadily rise post-pandemic. AAA projects 2.08 million people will travel by train, bus, or cruise over Memorial Day weekend, an 8.5% increase over last year. This category is now surpassing pre-pandemic numbers from 2018 and 2019, but doesn’t reach the record numbers of the early 2000s when more people were choosing trains and buses post 9/11.

Cruising’s growing popularity is highlighted by the strong demand for Alaska cruises this season. Top domestic cruise destinations for Memorial Day weekend include Fairbanks, Anchorage, and Juneau. Overall, travelers are turning to cruises in record numbers. Earlier this year, AAA projected that a record 19 million Americans planned to take cruises in 2025.

Read the full article HERE

About AAA – The Auto Club Group

The Auto Club Group (ACG) is the second largest AAA club in North America with more than 13 million members across 14 U.S. states and two U.S. territories. ACG and its affiliates provide members with roadside assistance, insurance products, banking and financial services, travel offerings and more. ACG belongs to the national AAA federation with more than 65 million members in the United States and Canada. AAA’s mission is to protect and advance freedom of mobility and improve traffic safety. For more information, get the AAA Mobile app, visit AAA.com, and follow on social media.