Best And Worst FL Travel Times For Memorial Day Weekend: See AAA Forecast

FLORIDA — A record-breaking 2.6 million Floridians are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home over Memorial Day weekend, AAA said in a news release. That’s an increase of nearly 95,000 travelers compared to last year.

Nationally, more than 45.1 million people are predicted to travel over the holiday weekend — that’s 1.4 million more domestic travelers than the previous year, AAA said.

This also sets a new Memorial Day weekend record for travel; the previous record, set in 2005, was 44 million people traveling for the holiday.

"Despite economic uncertainty and global challenges, travel remains a priority for Americans, with millions eager to make memories with a Memorial Day getaway,” Debbie Haas, vice president of yravel for AAA – The Auto Club Group, said. “Whether travelers are looking for a quick getaway or an extended vacation, there are budget-friendly options for every plan. From a short beach retreat to an extended cruise, working with a travel advisor can help uncover exclusive discounts and create a vacation that best meets your interests and needs."

AAA projects 39.4 million people will travel by car over Memorial Day weekend. That’s one million more travelers than last year. This year, 87 percent of Memorial Day travelers will take a road trip.

In Florida, 2.34 million travelers are expected to do so by car, according to AAA.

Best, Worst Times To Drive

The worst times to hit the road over the holiday weekend are the following days and times:

• Thursday, 1 to 9 p.m.
• Friday, noon to 8 p.m.
• Saturday, 2 to 6 p.m.
• Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m.
• Monday, 4 to 7 p.m.

The best times for your Memorial Day road trip are the following days and times:

• Friday before 11 a.m.
• Saturday before noon
• Sunday before 1 p.m.
• Monday before 2 p.m.

With so many people hitting the road, thankfully, gas prices are expected to be lower than they were in 2024.

Last year, a gallon of regular gas cost $3.49 on average nationally. In Florida, that cost was $3.51 per gallon.

So far this year, Florida gas prices have averaged $3.11 per gallon, AAA said. Lower crude oil costs have so far prevented the typical springtime gas price spike.

Current gas prices can be found at GasPrices.AAA.com.

"Drivers haven't experienced the usual springtime surge in gas prices, as economic concerns have kept oil costs low," Mark Jenkins, spokesperson for AAA – The Auto Club Group, said. "With summer travel approaching, pump prices may rise with increasing fuel demand. However, global supply and demand trends will continue to be the key drivers of price fluctuations."

For those renting cars over Memorial Day weekend, Friday is expected to be the busiest day for pickup, Hertz, a AAA rental partner, said.

Orlando and Miami are among the cities seeing the highest demand for vehicle rentals this holiday.

Airport Traffic Up

Airports are preparing for a bustling holiday travel weekend, as well. It’s projected that 3.61 air passengers will travel nationally — a nearly 2 percent increase over last year, AAA said. This year’s numbers are expected to surpass pre-pandemic air travel for the weekend by about 12 percent.

In Florida, more than 230,000 people are expected to travel by plane.

Nationally, domestic flights are 2 percent more expensive than last year. On average, a roundtrip ticket costs $850.

And Orlando is among one of the most popular destinations this holiday.

AAA projects that, nationally, 2.08 million people will travel by other modes of transportation — train, bus or cruise — this Memorial Day weekend. This is an 8.5 increase over last year.
In Florida, this number is expected to reach more than 70,000.

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