Auto Rental News
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

36.6M People to Hit the Road for Memorial Day

The busiest travel days are expected on Thursday and Friday, with holiday travelers mixing with commuters, according to AAA.

May 21, 2018
36.6M People to Hit the Road for Memorial Day

According to AAA and global transportation analytics firm INRIX, the addition of nearly 2 million travelers is expected to cause serious travel delays on major roads, with routes taking up to three times longer than usual. Photo: AAA

3 min to read


Despite gas prices being the highest since 2014, about 41.5 million Americans are predicted to travel Memorial Day weekend, nearly a 5% increase from last year and the highest number in more than 12 years.

According to AAA and global transportation analytics firm INRIX, the addition of nearly 2 million travelers is expected to cause serious travel delays on major roads, with routes taking up to three times longer than usual.

Ad Loading...

The busiest travel days are expected on Thursday and Friday, with holiday travelers mixing with commuters. Many of the larger metro areas, such as Chicago and Washington, D.C., could see double the normal travel time; New Yorkers can expect almost three times the delay.

“Ranked the most congested country in the world, U.S. drivers are all too familiar with sitting in traffic,” Graham Cookson, chief economist and head of research at INRIX, said in a statement. “Drivers should expect congestion across a greater number of days than in previous years, with the getaway period starting on Wednesday. Our advice to drivers is to avoid peak commute times in major cities altogether – traveling late morning or early afternoon – or plan alternative routes.”

Metro Area

Worst Day for Travel

Worst Time for Travel

Delay Multiplier of Normal Trip

Atlanta

Thursday

3:30-5:30 p.m.

1.6x

Houston

Thursday

4:30-6 p.m.

1.5x

Boston

Thursday

4:30-6:30 p.m.

1.8x

Washington, D.C.

Thursday

4:30-7 p.m.

2.3x

San Francisco

Friday

3-5:30 p.m.

1.7x

Los Angeles

Friday

3:30-5:30 p.m.

1.9x

New York City

Friday

3:30-6:30 p.m.

2.7x

Detroit

Friday

4-5:30 p.m.

1.5x

Chicago

Friday

4-6 p.m.

2.1x

Seattle

Friday

4-6 p.m.

1.8x

By the numbers: 2018 Memorial Day holiday travel forecast

  • Automobiles: the vast majority of travelers – 36.6 million – will hit the road this Memorial Day, 4.7% more than last year.

  • Planes: 1 million people will travel by air, a 6.8% increase and the fifth year of consecutive air travel volume increases.

  • Trains, buses, and cruise ships: travel across these sectors will increase by 2.4% to 1.8 million passengers.

Higher gas prices not deterring travelers

Ad Loading...

Gas prices averaged $2.72 in April, 33 cents higher than the year before. The 88% of Americans who choose to travel for Memorial Day weekend will be paying highest prices for gas since 2014.

However, while travelers will be paying more at the pump, they will be making up for it in other travel-related areas. According to AAA’s Leisure Travel Index, airline tickets are averaging around $186 — 7% lower than last year — for a round trip flight along the top 40 domestic routes.  The average daily car rental is $59, 11% cheaper than last year and one of the lowest rates in the past four years.

Similarly, AAA Three Diamond hotel rooms are averaging about $186 per night, 14% less than last year; Two Diamond hotels are averaging at $151 per night, about 7% cheaper than last year.

Top Travel Destinations

  • Orlando, Fla.

  • Seattle

  • Honolulu

  • Las Vegas

  • Anchorage, Alaska

  • Phoenix

  • Anaheim, Calif.

  • Boston

  • Denver

  • New York City

Ad Loading...

Internationally, Rome, London, and Dublin are the most popular destinations for Memorial Day Weekend 2018.

For those renting cars at airports, Hertz is predicting the Orlando, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Kahului, Hawaii, airports to be the busiest airport-pickup locations for rental cars.

Hertz is expecting Friday to be the busiest day out of the whole weekend, with and average rental length of six days.

Related: TravelSupermarket Reveals Cheapest Global Car Rental Locations

More Rental Operations

plane, palm trees, car rental sign
Rental Operationsby Chris BrownSeptember 15, 2026

Palm Beach Airport Code Change Creates Car Rental Distribution Gap

A test of rental searches under the old PBI and new DJT airport codes returned largely different sets of brands and vehicles, highlighting a potential distribution problem for rental operators.

Read More →
Team members of U-Save's new franchise
Rental Operationsby StaffSeptember 15, 2026

U-Save Continues Dominican Republic Expansion with Launch in Punta Cana

The new franchise location builds on U-Save’s existing Santo Domingo operation and will begin taking reservations for October 2026.

Read More →
A traveler searches for rental cars with an AI bot
Rental OperationsSeptember 14, 2026

When AI Books the Rental Car, Who Controls the Sale?

As AI moves from comparing rental rates to completing transactions, operators need to understand how travelers find, interpret, rank, and ultimately see their offers. (Part 2 of 2.)

Read More →
Ad Loading...
map of europe and summer car rental rates
Rental OperationsSeptember 11, 2026

European Booked Car Rental Rates Fell 5%, Results Varied by Country

Ireland, Cyprus, and the United Kingdom saw steep declines, while booked rates rose in Poland and Hungary.

Read More →
thumbnail of Chris Brown and Mike DeLorenzo with title Time to Rethink Rental Categories?
Rental Operationsby Chris BrownSeptember 8, 2026

Is It Time to Rethink Rental Categories?

As traditional economy and compact cars disappear from the market, longtime rental operator Mike DeLorenzo asks whether the industry’s familiar vehicle categories still make sense — and what operators need to rethink along with them.

Read More →
Woman receiving car rental rates on computer from AI agent
Rental OperationsSeptember 1, 2026

Who Owns the Rate? AI Is Creating a New Distribution Problem for Car Rental

Generative Engine Optimization asks whether AI can find a rental company, but operators also need to know whether the agent inspected enough of the market, compared equivalent offers, and presented a rate the traveler can actually book. (Part 1 of 2)

Read More →
Ad Loading...
map of globe with regional corporate car rental rates
Rental Operationsby StaffAugust 25, 2026

U.S. Business Travel Car Rental Rates Forecast to Rise Up to 2%

Improved fleet supply should limit pricing gains in 2026-27, while insurance, repair costs, and softer residual values continue to pressure rental operations, according to Amex GBT.

Read More →
Sixt H1 financial results
Rental Operationsby StaffAugust 14, 2026

Sixt Revenue Tops $2.4 Billion in First Half of 2026

Sixt’s first-half revenue surpassed $2.4 billion for the first time as demand outpaced fleet growth, lifting utilization and earnings despite weaker consumer sentiment in North America.

Read More →
Bobby Klyce in memoriam image
Rental Operationsby Chris BrownAugust 13, 2026

In Memoriam: Bobby Klyce, Avis Licensee Legend

The longtime Birmingham Avis operator and 2018 Auto Rental News Impact Award recipient was remembered as an advocate for independent licensees and the broader car rental industry.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Vibe coding webinar promo image
Rental Operationsby StaffAugust 12, 2026

How to Build Custom Fleet Tools With AI and Vibe Coding [Webinar]

A new Automotive Fleet webinar explores how fleet managers are using AI and vibe coding to automate routine work and create simple operational tools without traditional programming skills.

Read More →
Ad Loading...