TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The Memorial Day weekend travel forecast is out, and experts predict it’s going to be a busy one.
More Floridians are expected to travel this Memorial Day weekend than ever before, with crowds exceeding pre-pandemic levels, according to AAA.
According to AAA’s 2023 Memorial Day Travel Forecast, 2.4 million Floridians will travel 50 miles or more.
“Memorial Day weekend is the kickoff to what promises to be a very busy summer travel season,” said Debbie Haas, Vice President of Travel for AAA. “Despite various inflationary pressures, consumer spending is strong, and Americans still want to travel. Because of that, we’ve seen demand come roaring back, beyond pre-pandemic levels in Florida.”
AAA projects 208,000 Floridians will fly, despite a 40% increase in airfares to top destinations.
An estimated 2.1 million Floridians will drive, which is 137,000 more than last year, according to AAA. Friday, May 26 will be the busiest day on the road, according to INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights. The best times to drive will be in the morning or evening after 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday will be the lightest traffic days.
Travel experts predict Memorial Day weekend will be the kickoff of a very busy summer travel season.
