This Memorial Day, more Americans are traveling, hopping on planes and taking cruises, according to AAA.
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Enjoy a smooth road trip with your dog with these travel tips to keep all passengers safe, happy, and ready for adventure.
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Rising gas and airfare prices won’t prevent 45 million Americans from traveling this Memorial Day weekend, according to a new forecast from AAA.
“Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer and, for most Americans, a three-day weekend,” Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, said in a statement. “Travel demand remains strong, with many people prioritizing leisure travel over the holidays despite rising fuel prices.”
A record 39.1 million Americans will take a road trip between Thursday, May 21st and Monday, May 25th. This represents 87% of all travelers expected this weekend. Air travel and cruises are also up slightly this year, with most trips booked before fuel prices impact travel costs.
Here’s what you need to know about Memorial Day weekend travel in 2026.
What are the popular destinations for Memorial Day weekend?
Domestic travel begins for Memorial Day weekend, with most people kicking off the summer with a theme park visit or Alaska cruise.
According to AAA reservations data, the top five domestic destinations are:
- orlando
- seattle
- new york
- vegas
- miami
International travelers, on the other hand, primarily head to Europe, with the most popular destinations being Rome, Vancouver, Paris, London, and Athens.
When is the best time to drive over Memorial Day weekend?
According to INRIX data, if you want to avoid traffic jams, try to go early in the morning or at night.
The best times to travel are after 9pm on Thursdays and before 11am on Fridays and Saturdays. Sunday is expected to have the lowest traffic of any holiday.
If returning home, drivers must be on the road by 10am
When is the best time to drive over Memorial Day weekend?
The afternoon traffic is expected to be the most congested during the three-day weekend. Expect crowds on Thursdays from noon to 9 p.m. and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Expect heavy traffic Saturday and Monday from noon to 5 p.m.
Peak congestion hours in major U.S. cities
atlanta
- Worst route: Atlanta to Augusta via I-20 E
- Worst day: Thursday
- Worst time: 5:15 p.m.
- Estimated travel time: 3 hours 11 minutes
- Travel time increase: 43%
boston
- Worst route: Boston to Hyannis via Pilgrim’s Highway S
- Worst day: Friday
- Worst time: 3:15 p.m.
- Estimated travel time: 2 hours 45 minutes
- Travel time increase: 94%
denver
- Worst route: Denver to Fort Collins via I-25 N
- Worst day: Monday
- Worst time: 5pm
- Estimated travel time: 1 hour 47 minutes
- Travel time increase: 113%
houston
- Worst route: Houston to Austin via I-10 W and SR-71 W
- Worst day: Friday
- Worst time: 3pm
- Estimated travel time: 3 hours 50 minutes
- Travel time increase: 56%
loss Angeles
- Worst route: Los Angeles to Palm Springs via I-10 E
- Worst day: Friday
- Worst time: 5:30 p.m.
- Estimated travel time: 4 hours 21 minutes
- Travel time increase: 88%
new york
- Worst route: New York to Jersey Shore via Garden Street Parkway S
- Worst day: Friday
- Worst time: 2:15 p.m.
- Estimated travel time: 2 hours 57 minutes
- Travel time increase: 102%
san francisco
- Worst route: San Francisco to Napa via I-80 E
- Worst day: Friday
- Worst time: 6:15 p.m.
- Estimated travel time: 2 hours 47 minutes
- Travel time increase: 78%
washington
- Worst route: Washington DC to Baltimore via Balt-Wash Pkwy N
- Worst day: Thursday
- Worst time: 4:15 p.m.
- Estimated travel time: 1 hour 56 minutes
- Travel time increase: 116%
