A weaker dollar and immigration crackdowns may be dampening demand for international travel, but record numbers of Americans are expected to hit the road within the U.S. this Memorial Day weekend, AAA says.
The 2025 Memorial Day Travel Forecasts that 45.1 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home between May 22 and May 26—the most since 2005.
AAA projects that 39.4 million people will travel by car over Memorial Day weekend, while 3.61 million will fly and 2.08 million will travel via other means, like train, bus or cruise ship.
Top domestic destinations for Memorial Day weekend include Orlando, Seattle, New York City, Las Vegas and Miami.
The travel membership organization said that despite general concerns over inflation, many Americans say they’re taking advantage of the long holiday weekend to spend time with loved ones, even if the trips are closer to home.
“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,” said Stacey Barber, VP of AAA Travel.
According to NerdWallet’s Travel Price Index, average travel costs are actually about 2 percent lower this year than they were in May 2024. Hotel room rates are down 2.4 percent, rental car costs are down 2.1 percent and airfares are down 7.9 percent.
That could help offset broader inflation in the U.S., which is up about 2.3 percent between April 2024 and April 2025, NerdWallet noted.
The U.S. Travel Association also noted that gas prices are currently about 12 percent lower year-over-year, likely contributing to the surge in planned auto trips over the Memorial Day weekend being reported by AAA.
