In addition to holiday essentials such as sunscreen and toothbrushes, Southern Californians who hope to escape on Memorial Day weekend also need to bring a lot of patience to the highways and airports.
Southern California Automobile Club (AAA) says record-breaking people across the country are choosing to travel rather than staying on a long weekend – the official kickoff in the summer.
In Southern California, about 3.6 million trips are expected to be on the road or jump on the plane, the third consecutive year of record-breaking trip on Memorial Day weekend.
“After the pandemic, consumers continue to prioritize travel with family and friends,” Jena Miller, vice president of travel products at AAA said in a statement.
According to AAA, most people will take weekend vacations. The road is expected to start Thursday, up 3.6% from last year and is expected to be on the road in Southern California about 2.9 million people.
The AAA estimates that around 45.1 million people across the country will travel over long weekends, most of whom will drive 39.4 million.
The car club said driver rental fees will also be about 8% lower than last year, and gasoline prices will be about 50 to 60 cents cheaper than last May.
More drivers mean more potential impasse, but middle travelers have better chances of getting faster commutes. Experts say noon is the best time for people to get on the road this weekend.
“Thursday, May 22, Friday, May 23, is expected to be the busiest travel day,” AAA spokesman Gianella Ghiglino said in a statement. “So if you are leaving those days, you want to make sure to avoid that morning rush hour and still leave before noon.”
According to the AAA, the busiest highway in Southern California is expected to be the 5th highway from Los Angeles to Bakersfield, with a typical 90-minute drive that could take up to three hours in the worst time.
Hopefully vacationers who jump on the flight this weekend should prepare for the full airport.
Nearly 54,000 flights are scheduled to be held Thursday, the busiest air travel day on the weekend and one of the busiest airports in the country to date, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
This growth will still occur, although domestic flights cost about 2% more than in 2024, according to AAA.
The Transport Safety Administration is preparing for the busyness of travelers. The agency is expected to screen about 18 million passengers and crew between Thursday and Wednesday.
“The TSA is ready for additional passenger numbers and we look forward to traveling during this peak period,” Acting Chief Executive of TSA Ha McNeill said in a statement.
Officials encourage airline passengers to ensure their luggage complies with TSA regulations and bring a real ID or other acceptable ID card, such as a passport.
