If you’re touring over the lengthy Memorial Day weekend, anticipate airports to be a bit busier than earlier than the COVID-19 pandemic.

The vehicle house owners membership AAA tasks 42.3 million individuals will journey 50 miles or extra from residence between Thursday, May 25, and Tuesday, May 30. That’s up 7% from 39.6 million vacationers final yr and simply 1% shy of the 42.8 million who traveled in 2019 earlier than the pandemic.

That consists of 3.4 million individuals taking to the skies, a 5% improve from the three.2 million who booked flights in 2019, the group famous.

“More Americans are planning trips and booking them earlier, despite inflation,” mentioned Paula Twidale, senior vice chairman of AAA Travel. “This summer travel season could be one for the record books, especially at airports.”

Another 37.1 million are anticipated to journey by automobile for the vacation weekend, up from 35 million motorists final yr however nonetheless a half-million shy of the 37.6 million who drove in 2019.

AAA estimates that the remaining 1.85 million adults will take “other” modes of transportation resembling buses, trains and cruises. That’s a rise from 1.53 million who traveled these methods final yr and simply shy of 1.9 million in 2019.

Domestic cruise bookings at port cities in Florida, Alaska and Washington state are up 50% from final yr, the group mentioned.

According to AAA, cooling costs are aiding the surge in automobile and air journey numbers. That surge features a 40% improve in air journey to high home hotspots and a 250% spike in worldwide journey bookings from final yr.

Top home locations this yr embody Orlando, New York City, Las Vegas, Denver, Boston, Anaheim and Canton, Ohio — residence of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The hottest worldwide locations are Rome, Paris, Dublin, London, Barcelona and Athens.

Transportation business researcher INRIX — considered one of a number of AAA companions — expects Friday, May 26, would be the busiest day for highway vacationers over the vacation weekend. The greatest occasions to journey by automobile can be within the morning or after 6 p.m., with Saturday and Sunday the lightest days for site visitors.

The firm predicts site visitors occasions will double as vacation vacationers share routes with commuters in main city areas resembling Boston, New York, Seattle and Tampa.

“Knowing when and where congestion will build can help drivers avoid the stress of sitting in traffic,” mentioned Bob Pishue, INRIX transportation analyst. “Our advice is to avoid driving during peak hours or use alternative routes.”

Content Source: www.washingtontimes.com