WASHINGTON, D. C. (Tuesday, May 22, 2018) ––The highest number of holiday travelers hailing from the Washington metro area in the annals of Memorial Day travel forecasting will venture 50 miles or more from home during the upcoming holiday weekend, AAA Mid-Atlantic is  projecting. All the while one fifth of the area’s populace, including those in the countryside,  will be hitting the highways, jamming the region’s three major airports, and causing, as a cautionary note, travel delays to more than double, and in some cases, more than triple on major arterials and roads in the region, the leisure travel organization is forecasting. This year, 1,053,400 Washingtonians will take to the roads, rails, skies and seas for Memorial Day getaways. It is a record high. They will join more than 41.5 million Americans traveling nationwide this Memorial Day weekend. AAA has been tracing and tracking Memorial Day leisure travel trends and volumes since 2001.

As a reflection of the strength of the regional economy, those traveling during the holiday period comprise 17 percent of the Washington metro area’s population of 6,216,589. Remarkably, this marks an increase of 305,000 more holiday travelers since the nadir of 2009, when only 748,500 Washington metro area residents traveled during summer’s first holiday weekend. As a benchmark, 2018 marks the fifth consecutive year of growth in the number of Washington area residents traveling during the Memorial Day holiday period. Delays will mount and multiply on major roads in the Washington metro area, INRIX predicts.

“Ponder the magnitude of it all. Memorial Day holiday travel volume in the Washington metro area will be 41 percent higher than it was in the region during 2009, which represented the recession driven low,” said John B. Townsend II, AAA Mid-Atlantic’s Manager of Public and Government Affairs. “Compounding matters, depending upon the day and time they hit the road, some metro area travelers could face delays of 2.3 times to 3.5 times the normal trip. For the second year in a row, more than one million Washington metro area residents will travel during the Memorial Day holiday weekend. That compares to 843,500 Washington area residents who traveled for the holiday in 2001, the first year AAA tracked the number of holiday travelers.”

AAA Mid-Atlantic’s Memorial Day 2018

Travel Projections for the Washington SMSA At-A-Glance

In the cosmic scheme of things, 3.1 million persons residing in the Washington metro area, Maryland and Virginia will venture more than 50 miles from home during the Memorial Day travel period.

Of that collectivity, 2.8 million residents will travel by automobile to their holiday destinations.

Despite gasoline prices that are rising ahead of the kick-off to the summer driving season, the vast majority of leisure travelers, nearly nine out of ten persons hailing from the Washington metro area – 938,800 denizens– will hit the road this Memorial Day, 4.9 percent more than last year. Another 84,900 Washington area residents will travel by air, a 7.5 percent increase from 2017. Travel by trains, buses, rails and cruise ships will increase by one percent to 29,700 passengers.  The number of Washington area residents embarking on leisure excursions over the Memorial Day holiday travel period has increased 24.8 percent since 2001.

Nationally, more than 41.5 million Americans will travel this Memorial Day weekend, nearly 5 percent more than last year and the most in more than a dozen years. Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, and Americans will kick off the season by traveling in near-record numbers.

Lest we forget, Memorial Day is a “solemn day of remembrance” of those who died on “far-flung battle lines” or upon these shores while serving in the American armed forces. Psst, summer officially begins June 21, the date of the Summer Solstice.  One in every ten Americans will travel or party like it begins on Memorial Day. Here is a snapshot of those traveling 50 miles or more this Memorial Day.

By the numbers: Nationwide 2018 Memorial Day holiday travel forecast

·         Automobiles: The vast majority of travelers – 36.6 million – will hit the road this Memorial Day, 4.7 percent more than last year.

·         Planes: 3.1 million people will travel by air, a 6.8 percent increase and the fifth year of consecutive air travel volume increases.

·         Trains, Buses, Rails and Cruise Ships: Travel across these sectors will increase by 2.4 percent to 1.8 million passengers.

Drivers Beware: Worst Times to Hit the Road

For the 938,800 people in the Washington, D.C. metro area traveling by automobile, INRIX, in collaboration with AAA, predicts drivers will experience the greatest amount of congestion on Thursday, May 24 and Friday, May 25 – in the late afternoon as commuters leave work early and mix with holiday travelers.

“Should I stay or should I go?” In the Washington, D.C. area, the worst time to travel will be on Thursday, May 24 from 4:30-7:00 p.m. when the traffic delay will be 2.3 times the normal travel time. Some roads will be particularly more delayed than others. Travelers heading out US 50 W on May 28 at 5:45 p.m. will face delays of nearly 3.5 times the normal trip, which means a trip that would normally take 32 minutes would equate to nearly 2 and a half hours.

Higher gas prices not deterring travelers
            The 88 percent of travelers choosing to drive will pay the most expensive Memorial Day gas prices since 2014. Gas prices averaged $2.72 in April, an increase of 33 cents from last year, due to expensive crude oil, record gasoline demand and shrinking global supply. However, these higher prices are not keeping holiday travelers home, with automobile travel expected to increase for the fourth straight year, by nearly 5 percent over last Memorial Day.

In Washington D.C., Monday’s average price was $3.06, which was 52 cents more per gallon than last year. In the Washington metro area, Monday’s average price was $2.90, which was 57 cents more per gallon than 2017.

Lower hotel, airline and car rental costs make up for higher gas prices

While road trippers will pay higher prices at the gas pump this year, travelers can expect some relief in their wallets when paying for airfare, car rentals and most mid-range hotels. According to AAA’s Leisure Travel Index, airfares are 7 percent lower than last Memorial Day, landing at an average price of $168 for a round-trip flight along the top 40 domestic routes.

“The average lowest round-trip is $191 from Washington, D.C. to Las Vegas, which is 24.9 percent decrease from the $254 in 2017,” Townsend explained. “The average lowest round-trip from New York to Washington, D.C. is $116 in comparison to $145 in 2017, which is a decrease of 20.2 percent.”

Hotel costs across the nation have decreased since last Memorial Day, with the average AAA Three Diamond Rated hotel costing $186, or 14 percent less than last year. “In Washington, D.C., Memorial Day holiday hotel rates for AAA Three Diamond lodgings are expected to average $182 per night, which is a 49.2 percent decrease over last year, according to AAA’s Leisure Travel Index. “Travelers planning to stay at AAA Two Diamond hotels in Washington, D.C. can expect to pay an average cost of $158 per night, compared to $171 in 2017, a decrease of 8 percent,” said Townsend.  Nationwide, the cost of AAA Two Diamond Rates hotels increased to $151 from $141, an increase of 7 percent.

At $59, the average daily cost of a car rental this Memorial Day is the lowest rate in the past four years and 11 percent cheaper than last year. Travelers in Washington, D.C. will encounter lower average daily car rental costs for the second year in a row. Daily car rental rates will average $60, compared to $66 last year, which is a decrease of 8.4 percent from 2017. 

Top Memorial Day travel destinations
Orlando again tops this year’s list of the most-visited Memorial Day destinations in the U.S., based on AAA advance travel bookings. Cruises to Alaska, originating in Seattle and Anchorage, as well as warm-weather destinations in Hawaii, Las Vegas, Phoenix and southern California top travelers’ domestic itineraries this summer.

1. Orlando, Florida
2. Seattle, Washington
3. Honolulu, Hawaii
4. Las Vegas, Nevada
5. Anchorage, Alaska
6. Phoenix, Arizona
7. Anaheim, California
8. Boston, Massachusetts
9. Denver, Colorado
10. New York, New York

For those planning to kick off their summer with an overseas vacation, Europe is a major draw this year. Rome, Dublin and London are the most popular international travel destinations for Memorial Day weekend.

According to Hertz, a 40-year AAA partner, the busiest airport pick-up locations for travelers renting a car this Memorial Day are expected to be Orlando (MCO), Las Vegas (LAS), Atlanta (ATL), Los Angeles (LAX) and Kahului, HI (OGG). The busiest day for rental pick-ups is expected to be May 25, with an average rental length of nearly six days, as travelers look to take advantage of the long holiday weekend.

AAA Mid-Atlantic to rescue more than 51,000 local motorists this Memorial Day, 340,000 Nationwide
AAA Mid-Atlantic expects to respond to rescue calls from 51,000 motorists this Memorial Day weekend. Nationwide, AAA expects to rescue more than 340,000 motorists. Dead batteries, lockouts and flat tires will be the leading reasons AAA members will experience car trouble. During the Memorial Day travel period in 2017, including the day after Memorial Day, AAA rescued nearly 1,160 drivers in Washington, D.C., over 8,500 in Maryland and 6,300 in Virginia.

Before hitting the road, make sure your vehicle is road-trip ready. Make a good B-E-T to stay on the road this summer by having your Battery tested, looking for Engine coolant leaks and checking Tire condition. Be prepared for emergencies with a mobile phone and car charger, a flashlight with extra batteries, a first-aid kit, a basic toolkit, and drinking water and snacks for all passengers.

AAA recommends motorists have their vehicles inspected by a trusted repair shop, such as a AAA Car Care Center in the mid-Atlantic region or one of the more than 7,000 AAA Approved Auto Repair facilities across North America. Members can download the AAA Mobile app, visit AAA.com or call 1-800-AAA-HELP to request roadside assistance.

Download the AAA Mobile app before Memorial Day road trips
Before heading out on a road trip this Memorial Day, download the free AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android. Travelers can use the app to map a route, find the lowest gas prices, access exclusive member discounts, make travel arrangements, request AAA roadside assistance, find AAA Approved Auto Repair facilities and more. Learn more at AAA.com/mobile.

With the AAA Mobile app, travelers can also find nearly 59,000 AAA Diamond Rated hotels and restaurants. AAA’s is the only rating system that uses full-time, professionally trained inspectors to evaluate each property on an annual basis. Every AAA Inspected & Approved establishment offers the assurance of acceptable cleanliness, comfort and hospitality, and ratings of One to Five Diamonds help travelers find the right match for amenities and services.

AAA’s projections are based on economic forecasting and research by IHS Markit. The London-based business information provider teamed with AAA in 2009 to jointly analyze travel trends during major holidays. AAA has been reporting on holiday travel trends for more than two decades. The complete AAA/IHS Markit 2018 Memorial Day holiday travel forecast is available here.

About AAA:

As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 58 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. Motorists can map a route, identify gas prices, find discounts, book a hotel and access AAA roadside assistance with the AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android. Learn more at AAA.com/mobile. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.

About INRIX:
INRIX is the global leader in connected car services and transportation analytics. Leveraging big data and the cloud, INRIX delivers comprehensive services and solutions to help move people, cities and businesses forward. Our partners are automakers, governments, mobile operators, developers, advertisers, as well as enterprises large and small.

Follow us on Twitter: @AAADCNews

Like us on Facebook: AAA Mid-Atlantic News

Washington, D.C. Mailing Address:
1405 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20005

AAA provides automotive, travel and insurance services to 57 million members nationwide and nearly 78,000 members in the District of Columbia.  AAA advocates for the safety and mobility of its members and has been committed to outstanding road service for more than 100 years.  The not-for-profit, fully tax-paying member organization works on behalf of motorists, who can now map a route, find local gas prices, discover discounts, book a hotel and track their roadside assistance service with the AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android. For more information, visit  https://aaa.com