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Memorial Day Weekend Travel: Best And Worst Times To Travel

Author Kayla Morgan

Get ready, because Memorial Day weekend is just around the corner. It’s almost time to kick off the unofficial start of summer, enjoy some quality time with family and friends, and maybe even go on a little adventure. According to AAA’s 2023 Memorial Day Travel Forecast, over 1.2 million Michiganders will journey 50 miles or more. They say that’s 79,000 more than last year and just 36,000 less than before the pandemic, in 2019.

Around 1.1 million Michigan residents are expected to hit the road this Memorial Day, which is an increase of 62,000 compared to last year. Additionally, the number of people flying is projected to reach 66,000, with 7,000 more passengers than the previous holiday season.

“Americans still want to travel.”

“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 – The Auto Club Group. “Despite various inflationary pressures, consumer spending is strong, and Americans still want to travel. Because of that, we’ve seen demand come roaring back, just shy of pre-pandemic levels in Michigan.”

AAA reports that about 42.3 million Americans are getting ready to embark on a Memorial Day adventure, traveling 50 miles or more away from home. They defined the Memorial Day holiday travel period as the five-day period from Thursday, May 25 to Monday, May 29.

Best and worst times to travel over the holiday weekend.

Friday, May 26 will be the busiest day on the roads, according to INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights. The best times to hit the road during the holiday weekend are in the morning or evening after 6 p.m. The lightest traffic days will be Saturday and Sunday.

If you’re thinking of hitting the road on Thursday, experts recommend doing so before 1 p.m.; if Friday is your travel day, aim to be on the road before 12 p.m. But beware, as the worst travel times for both days fall between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. On Monday, when it’s time to head back home, it’s best to avoid traveling between 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. and opt for an earlier departure before 10 a.m.

Kayla is the midday host on Detroit’s 105.1 The Bounce. She started her career in radio back in 2016 as an intern at another Detroit station and worked her way here. She's made stops in Knoxville, TN, Omaha, Ne and other places before returning to Detroit. She’s done almost everything in radio from promotions to web, creating content on social media, you name it. She’s a true Michigander, born and raised. So, you can catch her camping or vacationing up north to exploring the downtown Detroit or maybe even catching a sports game. During her free time, Kayla enjoys watching movies, roller-skating, crafting, and music festivals. She and her husband together dip into many of the great things Michigan has to offer. Together they also like to travel. A few hobbies of hers include wine and beer tastings, crafting, hiking, roller skating, movies, home improvement projects, gardening, and festivals. She’s always looking to take on more local events happening in the community. She loves connecting with the community. When writing, Kayla covers topics including lifestyle, pop culture, trending stories, hacks, and urban culture.

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Author Kayla Morgan
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