AAA says 45 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home for Memorial Day between Thursday, May 21 and Monday, May 25, setting a new record for the holiday weekend. Most of them will go by car. The group projects 39.1 million people will drive and 3.66 million will fly.

That forecast, released on May 11, 2026, marks a slight increase from last year and comes as many families treat the long weekend as the unofficial start of summer. Driving still dominates the holiday, accounting for 87% of all travelers, even as AAA says current pump prices are the highest they have been since the summer of 2022. On Memorial Day last year, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline was $3.17.

The numbers suggest travelers are still willing to pay up for a break, but they are also watching costs closely. AAA says domestic car rentals are 1% cheaper this holiday weekend than a year ago, while roundtrip domestic flights are 6% cheaper, with the average ticket at $800. It also says most of those flights were booked before rising jet fuel prices started affecting airfare. Stacey Barber, a AAA spokeswoman, said Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer and that, for most Americans, it is a three-day weekend. She added that travel demand remains strong and that, despite higher fuel prices, many people are still prioritizing leisure travel during holiday breaks.

The busiest travel day for rental cars is expected to be Thursday and Friday, according to AAA and Hertz, with demand highest in Orlando, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Boston. And while cars remain the main story, other modes are growing too: AAA expects travel by bus, train or cruise to rise 5% to 2.2 million people, helped by the popularity of Alaska cruises as that season begins around this time of year.

There is one reminder that the holiday rush can turn quickly from routine to messy. Last Memorial Day weekend, AAA responded to more than 350,000 emergency roadside assistance calls. This year’s forecast says the crowds will be bigger, the roads will be busy and the holiday will once again test how much Americans are willing to absorb in fuel prices, flight costs and time spent in traffic to get away for three days.