Nebraskans are forecast to travel in near record numbers for this year’s Memorial Day weekend.
AAA Spokesperson Brian Ortner projects to KLIN News, more than 3.6 million travelers from the Midwest region are will travel 50 miles or more for the weekend beginning Friday, May 24th.
This figure is up 3.6% from 2023, and 186,000 less than the overall travel record which was set in 2005.
| Total Number of Regional Travelers | ||||
| Total | Auto | Air | Other | |
| 2024 | 3.632 million | 3.140 million | 154,000 | 338,000 |
| 2023 | 3.496 million | 3.032 million | 148,000 | 315,000 |
| Difference | 3.9% | 3.6% | 3.8% | 7.3% |
AAA projects, nationally, nearly 38.4 million will travel by car over Memorial Day weekend, the highest number for the holiday since AAA began tracking in 2000.
“Drivers concerned with gas prices shouldn’t face to many surprises as they should see similar numbers they saw last year when filling up,” AAA spokesman Brian Ortner offered optimistically.
During last year’s holiday weekend, Nebraska averaged $3.36 per gallon. Today, the state average is $3.30.
Ornter says Airports are also bracing for a spike in travelers. AAA expects 3.51 million Americans to travel by air this holiday weekend, an increase of 4.8% over last year and the most crowded Memorial Day weekend at airports since 2005, when 3.64 million flew for the holiday as the travel industry finally rebounded post 9/11. This Memorial Day weekend, air ticket prices are comparable to last year.
The average price for a round trip domestic flight is up slightly from last year by about 2%, but domestic hotels are 5% cheaper this Memorial Day weekend compared to last, according to AAA.
Nationally, nearly two million people are expected to travel by other modes of transportation, including buses, cruises, and trains. Our region is projected to set a new record for travel by other modes with a growth of 7.3% over last year and more than 35,000 more than the previous high set back in 2005.
With these notable increases in travel numbers, Ornter reminded travelers not to forget their “patience” when leaving for their destination.