According to a press release from AAA, an estimated 31.8 million Americans will hit the highway this holiday weekend.– A 1.5% increase from last year.
Those surveyed by AAA said they’ll be driving 50 miles or more from home.
“As we enter into the summer travel season with warmer temperatures and tulips in bloom, thoughts of historic cold are still fresh in the minds of Americans in many parts of the country,” said Marshall L. Doney, AAA Chief Operating Officer. “The winter blues appear to have given Americans the travel bug and a case of cruise cabin fever as travel for the holiday is expected to hit a new post-recession high.”
AAA says that 36.1 million America’s plan to travel this weekend: 31.8 million, or 88%, will travel by car.
From AAA:
Highlights from 2014 Memorial Day Travel Forecast include:
- Memorial Day holiday travel volume is expected to reach a new post-recession high with 36.1 million Americans taking a trip
- The 2014 forecast is 2.6 percent higher than the ten-year historical average and the second highest travel volume since 2000
- Eighty-eight percent of travelers (31.8 million) to travel by automobile, an increase from 31.4 million last year
- Holiday air travel expected to increase from 2.4 percent to 2.6 million leisure travelers
- Travel by other modes of transportation including cruise, trains and buses will see the largest increase, up 6.5 percent (total 1.7 million travelers)
- Travelers will encounter slightly higher prices with airfares six percent higher, mid-range hotels up two percent and car rentals costing one percent more
