45 million Americans will travel for Memorial Day: How to avoid the worst traffic

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In just two weeks, Memorial Day kicks off the start of summer travel with a record-breaking number of Americans predicted to go on trips for the holiday weekend.

This year, the holiday will take place between Thursday, May 22, to Monday, May 26. AAA predicts 45.1 million Americans to travel domestically for the popular holiday period – an increase of 1.4 million from last year.

"Memorial Day weekend getaways don’t have to be extravagant and costly,” said Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, in a press release. "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. Long holiday weekends are ideal for travel because many people have an extra day off work and students are off from school."

The majority of travelers will be taking a road trip to reach their final destination, with the busiest day for rental car pickups expected to be Friday, May 23, according to Hertz. AAA also predicts a surge of 2% in air passengers for the holiday weekend. In other words, travelers should pack their patience and head out early in anticipation of crowds.

Here's what to know about travel for Memorial Day weekend 2025:

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What are the best times to drive for Memorial Day weekend? 

As usual with holiday weekends, flexibility pays off and the best time to hit the road is in the morning. On Thursday, May 22, and Saturday, May 24, travelers should leave before noon. On Friday, May 23, the optimal time to start driving is before 11 a.m.

For returning home, travelers should leave before 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 25, and before 2 p.m. on Monday, May 26.

What are the worst times to drive for Memorial Day weekend?

Drivers can expect roads to be the most congested during the afternoons, according to transportation data and insights company INRIX. Major metropolitan cities like Boston, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., are expected to experience the heaviest traffic.

The worst time to drive to your destination will be between 1 p.m. and 9 p.m. on May 22 and from noon until 8 p.m. on May 23. On May 24, heavy congestion is expected from 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.

When driving back home, the most traffic is likely to be from 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. on May 25and from 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on the holiday itself.

Peak congestion times in major U.S. cities

Atlanta

◾Worst route: Atlanta to Augusta via I-20 E.

◾Worst day: Thursday, May 22.

◾Worst time: 5:15 p.m. 

◾Estimated travel time: 1 hour, 58 minutes.

◾43% increased travel time.

Boston

◾Worst route: Boston to Manchester via I-93 N.

◾Worst day: Monday, May 26.

◾Worst time: 12:15 p.m.

◾Estimated travel time: 1 hour, 54 minutes.

◾123% increased travel time.

Chicago 

◾Worst route: Milwaukee to Chicago via I-94 E. 

◾Worst day: Thursday, May 22.

◾Worst time: 5 p.m.

◾Estimated travel time: 1 hour, 1 minute.

◾53% increased travel time.

Denver

◾Worst route: Fort Collins to Denver via I-25 S.

◾Worst day: Friday, May 23.

◾Worst time: 4:15 p.m.

◾Estimated travel time: 1 hour, 43 minutes.

◾59% increased travel time.

Los Angeles

◾Worst day: Friday, May 23.

◾Worst time: 5 p.m.

◾Estimated travel time: 2 hours, 39 minutes.

◾83% increased travel time.

New York

◾Worst route: Jersey Shore to New York via Garden St Pkwy N.

◾Worst day: Monday, May 26.

◾Worst time: 1 p.m. 

◾Estimated travel time: 1 hour, 10 minutes.

◾92% increased travel time.

Philadelphia

◾Worst route: Atlantic City to Philadelphia via Atlantic City Expressway.

◾Worst day: Monday, May 26.

◾Worst time: Noon.

◾Estimated travel time: 1 hour, 46 minutes.

◾67% increased travel time.

San Francisco

◾Worst route:  San Francisco to Napa via I-80 E.

◾Worst day: Thursday, May 22.

◾Worst time: 7:15 p.m.

◾Estimated travel time: 1 hour, 21 minutes.

◾82% increased travel time.

Washington, D.C.

◾Worst route: Washington to Annapolis via US-50 E. 

◾Worst day: Thursday, May 22.

◾Worst time: 3:45 p.m.

◾Estimated travel time: 1 hour, 33 minutes.

◾80% increased travel time.