AAA Projects Record High Travel for Memorial Day Weekend

AAA reports record numbers of vacationers will begin the summer travel season with a bang despite high gas prices, as an estimated 36.9 million Americans are expected to enjoy a Memorial Day weekend vacation of 50 miles or more away from home, an increase of 3.6 percent above last year.

Approximately 30.9 million travelers (84 percent of all holiday travelers) expect to go by motor vehicle, a 3.4 percent increase from the 29.9 million who drove a year ago. Another 4.1 million (11 percent of holiday travelers) plan to travel by airplane, up 5.3 percent from last Memorial Day. A projected 1.9 million vacationers (five percent) will go by train, bus or other mode of transportation, about even with 2003’s figures.

“Record high gas prices nationwide — a 50-cent increase from last year — won’t keep motorists off the highways this holiday,” said Dawn Duffy, AAA spokesperson. “Just as significant is the marked increase in air travel, especially considering the ‘weak’ dollar that makes European travel more expensive.”

The greatest number of Memorial Day auto travelers will originate in the West with 7.4 million, followed by the Southeast, 6.8 million; Midwest, 6.6 million; Northeast, 5.6 million; and Great Lakes, 4.5 million.

The West is expected to produce the largest number of air travelers with 1.3 million, followed by the Midwest with 1.1 million; Southeast, 800,000; Northeast, 500,000; and Great Lakes, 400,000.

Oceans and beaches top the list of preferred destinations this holiday with 24 percent of travel volume. Small towns and rural areas took a close second with 22 percent, just ahead of cities, 21 percent. Lakes, 8 percent; mountains, 8 percent; state/national parks, 5 percent; and theme/amusement parks, 3 percent rounded out the list. Another 7 percent responded with other, and 2 percent said they didn’t know.

Lodging reservations might be hard to come by, as 45 percent of the total Memorial Day travelers expect to stay at a hotel/motel. The other popular choice is friends or relatives, 27 percent, followed by camper/trailer/RV/tent, 8 percent; cabin/condo, 4 percent; other, 2 percent; no overnight stay, 5 percent, and didn’t know, 3 percent.

Research for Memorial Day travel is based on a national telephone survey of 1,300 adults by the Travel Industry Association of American, which conducts special research for AAA.

AAA offers automotive, travel, insurance and financial services to more than 45 million members in the United States and Canada. AAA Minnesota/Iowa is part of The Auto Club Group, with 4.1 million members in eight Midwest states. AAA Minneapolis serves more than 171,000 members in Hennepin County.