Memorial Day Travel: 4 Things to Know Before Hitting the Road

Memorial Day weekend is the official start of summer travel, outdoor dining and pool season – and it’s fast approaching.

If you’re planning to hit the open road this holiday weekend, you’ll be joining millions of fellow Americans. In 2022, AAA estimated that 39.2 million people planned to travel at least 50 miles, an 8.3% increase on the 2021 volume of traffic, and chances are things will only get busier.

So, before you buckle up and cruise into the long holiday weekend, here’s what you need to know to make your journey go as smoothly as possible.

The vast majority of travelers will be driving to their destination

You’ll have plenty of company on the roads. It’s estimated that in 2022, 89% of travelers drove to their destinations. If this is repeated in future years, or even increases, it’s inevitably going to mean congestion on the roads.  If your journey includes metropolitan areas or driving on stretches of America’s busiest highways, there are a few approaches to make your drive less stressful.

Plan to leave early in the morning on Friday or later on Friday or Saturday evening. And if you absolutely do need to be on the road during peak travel times, like Friday during the day or on Monday evening, give yourself extra time to get to your destination.

More travelers will plan to rent cars

Car rental bookings are always high in the run-up to Memorial Day weekend with the busiest day always being the Friday, which falls on May 26^th in 2023. With more people queuing for their rentals, it might take longer to get the keys to your weekend wheels, but you can save time by signing up for a free rewards program like Hertz Gold Plus Rewards. This will bring you a number of benefits including less time waiting in line and expedited drop-off – meaning more time for you to enjoy the vacation itself.

The busiest airports for rental pick-ups are usually LAX, SFO, MCO, ATL and DEN

Are you flying into one of the busiest airports this holiday weekend? Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), Orlando (MCO), Atlanta (ATL) and Denver (DEN) are generally the top spots for holiday travel. So, if any of these are your destination do plan ahead, give yourself plenty of time, and even prepare for delays or cancellations.

Travel can be stressful, especially at these major hubs. But if you’re heading for LAX there’s a pretty Californian way to relax. Look out for one of the therapy dogs from Pets Unstressing Passengers, or PUP for short, that you’ll find in all of the terminals. You’ll recognise them, and their handlers, from their smart red vests. Why not stop and say hello?

Gas prices will be higher

Gas prices have been on the rise since last Memorial Day weekend, as you’ll no doubt notice when you go to fill up. Consider going for a fuel-efficient rental car or even a hybrid. We’ve got a wide range of models in our fleet to suit your needs.

Make it a memorable Memorial Day weekend by traveling smarter. Comment on our Facebook page to share your insider trips on making the most of holiday road trips.