Memorial Day Weekend travel could break records. Here’s how to prepare for your trip

Memorial Day is reliably one of the busiest travel weekends in the U.S. — and experts predict this year will set a new bar.

AAA projects 45.1 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home between Thursday and Monday, breaking a domestic travel record set in 2005. Most are expected to drive or fly, though others will travel by train, bus or cruise.

“While some travelers embark on dream vacations and fly hundreds of miles across the country, many families just pack up the car and drive to the beach or take a road trip to visit friends,” Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, said in a statement.

AAA projects the majority of people — some 39.4 million — will travel by car, an increase of 1 million from last year. While drivers should expect crowded roads, there is at least one silver lining: National average gas prices are the lowest they’ve been over Memorial Day Weekend since 2021.

AAA expects 3.61 million people to travel by plane, an increase of 2% over last year. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) anticipates screening about 18 million passengers and crew between Thursday and Wednesday.

“TSA is ready for the additional passenger volume, and we look forward to welcoming families traveling during this peak period,” said TSA acting Administrator Ha McNeill. “As a friendly reminder, to ensure a smooth screening experience, bring acceptable forms of ID like your REAL ID.”

Under the REAL ID requirement, which took effect on May 7, standard driver’s licenses and state IDs are no longer accepted at airport security. Passengers who don’t have a REAL ID should bring another accepted form of ID, such as passports, passport cards, Global Entry, NEXUS and green cards.

TSA says 93% of passengers have been presenting a REAL ID or acceptable alternative since May 7.

Crowded airport lines and packed planes may add heightened stress for travelers, who are already worried about their flights in the wake of some high-profile near-collisions and air traffic control outages — particularly at Newark Airport, where disruptions continue.

Seth Kaplan, transportation analyst for Here & Now, says while airlines are putting many flights and seats in the sky this weekend, it’s not yet clear how many of them will actually be filled.

“It’s going to be very busy, but we’ll only know afterwards … because some of those plans were made back before things changed: safety concerns, economic concerns, those sorts of things,” Kaplan said.

Tips for flyers 

For smoother travel, the TSA recommends that people organize their carry-on bags and comply with regulations, particularly regarding liquids and prohibited items.

It’s important to double-check those rules because some have changed. Earlier this month, the Federal Aviation Administration issued an advisory with new restrictions on lithium batteries over fire risk concerns.

It says spare lithium batteries, including power banks and cell phone charging cases, must be placed in carry-on bags only — unless those bags get checked at the gate, in which case the passenger must take those items on board with them. Southwest Airlines announced that its passengers must keep those items visible during flights, in a policy that will take effect next Wednesday.

Other travel tips from the TSA include enrolling in TSA PreCheck, calling ahead to request passenger support and arriving at the airport early: at least two hours before a domestic flight’s scheduled boarding time, and three hours before an international flight.

Tips for drivers 

If you’re traveling by car and have any flexibility, consider using data to plan the timing of your trip.

For example, Hertz says Friday is expected to be the busiest day for rental car pickup.

The transportation analytics company INRIX says afternoons will be more congested than mornings throughout Memorial Day Weekend. It says the best travel time is before 11 a.m. on Friday, noon on Saturday, 1 p.m. Sunday and 2 p.m. Monday.

There are several steps you can take to prepare for a road trip, no matter what time you’re driving.

AAA advises mapping out your preferred route — including rest or meal stops — in advance, packing the car and filling up the gas tank the day before and getting a good night’s sleep and a filling meal before you hit the road.

It also recommends packing an emergency kit with essentials like important documents, blankets, water, chargers, jumper cables, a first aid kit, flashlights, a tire repair kit and nonperishable snacks.

AAA advises being realistic about how much you can drive in a day and limiting yourself to 5 hours if possible. It also recommends switching drivers regularly, at least every three hours, and taking stretch breaks along the way.

And, before you go, it can’t hurt to brush up on these 10 road safety do’s and don’ts from NPR’s Life Kit.