Memorial Day Travel: The Best, Worst Times To Get Out Of Minnesota

MINNESOTA — No matter the price we’re paying at the gas pump — that’s about $4.22 a gallon on average in Minnesota as of Friday — many of us are still planning to travel for Memorial Day weekend 2022.

We’re resurrecting the great Memorial Day road trip, with travel on America’s roadways expected to reach 93 percent of pre-pandemic levels, according to the AAA Memorial Day Travel Forecast.

Memorial Day Weekend: MN Drivers Will Encounter These Work Zones

The travel group said about 35 million people will be competing for space on highways over the long holiday weekend, which begins Thursday and ends Monday, the official Memorial Day holiday and a day off for many Americans. In all, about 39.2 million people plan Memorial Day excursions.

In general, the worst and best times to get out of town in Minnesota are:

Thursday

• Worst times: 1-8 p.m.
• Best times: before 6 a.m. or after 9 p.m.

Friday

• Worst times: noon to 7 p.m.
• Best times: before 7 a.m. or after 9 p.m.

Saturday

• Worst times: 1-6 p.m.
• Best times: before 10 a.m.

Sunday

• Worst times: 1-4 p.m.
• Best times: before 10 a.m.

Monday

• Worst times: 1-4 p.m.
• Best times: before 11 a.m.

Although travel is bouncing back, Americans’ wanderlust has been curbed to some extent by the highest inflation in four decades — especially for gas, food, lodging and airfare. While travel is expected to increase 8.3 percent over 2021, that’s only 93 percent of the travel volume in 2019, AAA said.

MN Weather: Memorial Day Weekend Forecast

Also this Memorial Day weekend, according to AAA:

• The overwhelming majority of Americans — 35 million people — will travel on the nation’s highways, as is traditionally the case.

• Memorial Day air travel will be the highest since 2011, with about 3 million people — or about 7.7 percent of holiday travelers — expected to get on airplanes. That’s a 25 percent increase over 2021, when many since-lifted COVID-19 restrictions were in place.

• The number of people who plan to travel by bus or train, or take a cruise, is expected to triple this year to 1.3 million people.