SAN ANGELO, TX - AAA projects the highest number of Texans to travel this coming Memorial Day since AAA began tracking holiday travel in 2000.
The Lone Star State is expected to have 3.6 million travelers this Memorial Day holiday travel period, a 4.2% increase over last year, the most on record. 3.1 million are expected to drive, which will also set a new record.
“3.1 million Texans are preparing to take a road trip this weekend, setting a new state record for Memorial Day travel volume,” said AAA Texas spokesperson, Daniel Armbruster. “Gas prices may fluctuate through the holiday weekend.”
The Memorial Day holiday travel forecast includes people taking trips of 50 miles or more away from home during the five-day period from Thursday, May 23 to Monday, May 27, 2024.
“Memorial Day is the unofficial start to summer and many friends and families are planning to spend the holiday weekend at cookouts, popular landmarks and even taking international vacations,” said Galen Grillo, Vice President and General Manager of AAA Texas. “Bucket list trips and solo travel are top travel trends our travel advisors are seeing this year and 2024 is shaping up to be the busiest year for travel ever.”
In Texas, AAA Texas travel advisors say the top road trip destinations are Galveston, Corpus Christi, state parks, the San Antonio River Walk, Fredericksburg, and the Texas Hill Country, as well as the large metropolitan areas of Houston, Dallas, and Austin.
Gas Prices
The statewide gas price average in Texas is $3.18 per gallon for regular unleaded fuel, according to the AAA Texas Weekend Gas Watch. That price is one cent less than on this day last week and is 10 cents more per gallon compared to this day last year. Of the major metropolitan areas surveyed in Texas, drivers in the Dallas/Fort Worth metro area are paying the most on average at $3.34 per gallon while drivers in Lubbock are paying the least at $2.96 per gallon. The national average price for a gallon of regular unleaded is $3.61, which is one cent more when compared to this day last week and seven cents more per gallon when compared to this day last year.
AAA Texas Offers Travel Tips this Memorial Day and Beyond
- Inspect vehicle tires, battery, and fluid levels before a long road trip. Nationwide, AAA expects to rescue more than 378,000 stranded drivers at the roadside, including nearly 20,000 in Texas.
- Pack food, water, an emergency kit, a first-aid kit, and a mobile phone charger in case you break down.
- Reserve airport parking ahead of time to save you time on departure day.
- Get to airports at least two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international flights.
- Sign up for TSA PreCheck or Clear to speed up the security process.
- Download your airline’s app and use FlightAware to track your aircraft on the day of departure.
- Avoid checking a bag, if possible. Carry-on luggage allows you to be more flexible in the event of a delay or cancellation.
- Book summer travel now. High demand and reduced schedules will mean fewer options.
- Work with a trusted AAA Texas travel advisor who can save you money and assist in rebooking should you need to.
- Consider travel insurance to protect your investment.
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