AAA projects that over 3,000,000 travelers in the eight Mountain States will celebrate Memorial Day by taking a vacation over 50 miles from home during the Memorial Day holiday between Thursday, May 25 through Monday, May 29. This is an increase of 3.5 percent from last year and the third consecutive year to report increasing numbers.
Of the over 3,000,000 travelers, almost 2,600,000 will travel by car (up 3.4 percent), over 260,000 will take to the skies (up 5,8 percent), and over 100,000 (up .05 percent) will use other forms of transportation.
The Mountain States are not unique. Nationally, Memorial Day travel is also the highest since 2005 with over 39 million expected travelers. This is an increase of 2.7 percent from last year and, similar to Utah, the highest number since 2005 and the third year of consecutive growth. Of the over 39 million national travelers, 34.6 million will take to their cars, a 2.4 percent increase from last year. Almost 3 million travelers will take to the skies, a 5.5 percent increase from last year. Those travelers using other modes of transportation will number 1.75 million, a 2.9 percent increase from 2016.
“With the increased numbers, travelers can expect costs to increase as well,” said Rolayne Fairclough, AAA Utah spokesperson. “Even with the increasing costs, with careful planning, travelers can save money.”
Tips for easier and cheaper travel
Automobile costs: AAA expects motorists to pay the highest gas prices since 2105. To save money, check gas prices now and, if you have motorcycles or ATV’s purchase the gasoline for them before the actual holiday weekend when prices typically go up. While on the road, go off the freeways and into the towns to purchase gasoline. The cost of gasoline in freeway adjacent stations is typically higher than in the lesser traveled local streets.
Airline costs: According to AAA’s Leisure Travel Index, average airfares for the top 40 domestic flight routes will be 9 percent higher with an average round trip ticket at $181. Besides booking a flight early to take advantage of the lower early booking prices, if your trip is not a direct flight, consider smaller airports for layovers.
Lodging: Hotel rates have also increased 18 percent since last year with the average room costing $215. Book early for cheaper reservations and consider hotels that are outside the city for less expensive rooms.
Rental Cars: Daily car rental rates will average $66, which is 7 percent more than last year. Before booking your rental car check to see if your personal automobile insurance pays for rental car claims. If it does, you can forgo the rental car company’s insurance, again saving your dollars.
Download the AAA Mobile app before a Memorial Day getaway. Before setting out for Memorial Day, download the free AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android. Travelers can use the app to map a route, find 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 Approved and Diamond Rated hotels and restaurants. AAA’s is the only rating system that uses full-time, professionally trained evaluators to inspect each property on an annual basis. Every AAA 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.
About the travel forecast. AAA’s projections are based on economic forecasting and research by HIS 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.
AAA Utah offers a wide array of automotive, travel, insurance, DMV, financial services and consumer discounts to more than 200,000 members. AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers since it was founded more than 117 years ago.