Memorial Day Weekend travel set to break records, reach pre-COVID levels
SACRAMENTO -- It's set to be a record-breaking Memorial Day Weekend for travel, with numbers reaching pre-COVID levels.
What are your travel plans for #MemorialDay2023 ?!
— Madisen Keavy (@madisenkeavy) May 25, 2023
If you're doing something extra special, don't just take the poll, Tweet me to share!! @CBSSacramento✈️
At the Sacramento International Airport, there are 100,000 travelers projected to come through from Friday to Tuesday for the holiday weekend.
According to AAA, holiday weekend road trips for Memorial Day weekend are up 6% compared to last year -- that's 2 million more Americans driving to their destinations. Despite the lower prices at the pump, car travel this holiday will be shy of pre-pandemic numbers by about 500,000 travelers.
On Thursday, ahead of the holiday weekend, Circle K gas stations dropped the cost of gas by 40 cents a gallon from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
"40 cents, when you think about, it's not a lot, but with gas, when it drops 40 cents, that's a lot… that's a lot." said a Sacramento driver staying close to home over the holiday weekend.
It's airports, like Sacramento International Airport, that are set to see more travelers.
According to AAA, nearly 3.4 million travelers are projected to fly to their holiday weekend plans. That's up by 11% compared to 2022. Although ticket prices are high, demand for air travel is higher.
"We're seeing air travel, numbers that are higher than they were in 2,019. We're finally to reach that pre-pandemic number. We've been waiting for," said John Treanor, a spokesperson for AAA Northern California.
A spokesperson for SMF recommends travelers utilize rideshare, are dropped off, or take public transportation, due to the number of travelers, parking lots are likely to fill up and cause delays if drivers don't plan ahead.