A record 3.7 million Texans are expected to travel over the Memorial Day holiday weekend between Thursday, May 22, and Monday, May 26, according to a report by AAA Texas.
According to AAA Texas, this year's projected numbers represent a 3% increase from 2024 and the third straight year of record-breaking travel for this holiday locally.
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WATCH HEREAcross the U.S., 45.1 million Americans are projected to travel for the holiday weekend, a 3.1% increase from 2024 and a new national record for this holiday period, beating the previous record of 44 million set in 2005, AAA Texas said.
“Texans continue to prioritize travel with family and friends after the pandemic,” said Galen Grillo, AAA Texas vice president and general manager. “This year, consumers will get some price relief at the gas pump, car rental counter, and when flying internationally, but they will spend more on domestic flights, hotels, cruises, and tours compared to 2024.”
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According to AAA, Texas gas prices are approximately 50 cents lower per gallon than at this time last year. The national average price is also about 50 cents lower than a year ago, according to gasprices.aaa.com.
AAA Travel booking data suggests that travelers are also spending:
- 8% less on car rentals
- 2% more on domestic airfare
- 4% less on international airfare
- 2% more on domestic cruises
- 3% less on international cruises
- 8% more on domestic hotels
- 18% more on international hotels
- 11% more on domestic tours
- 4% more on international tours
Best and Worst Times to Drive
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According to INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, the busiest times to travel are expected to be the afternoons and evenings of Thursday, May 22, and Friday, May 23.
In Texas, the busiest stretch of freeway is expected to be I-45 South from Houston to Galveston on the afternoon of Sunday, May 25, when the travel time will increase by 78% over the normal commute time to 92 minutes, AAA said.
The best times to travel by car are Thursday before noon, Friday before 11 a.m., Saturday before noon, Sunday before 1 p.m., and Monday before 2 p.m., according to INRIX projections.
Top Destinations for Memorial Day Weekend
According to AAA, booking data for the Memorial Day weekend shows that the top five destinations nationally are Orlando, Seattle, New York, Las Vegas, and Miami.
Internationally, the top destinations for U.S. travelers are Rome, Vancouver, Paris, London, and Athens.
For more information and travel tips for Memorial Day weekend, visit the AAA website.
