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AAA Predicts Major Increase of Memorial Day Travelers

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2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer ACTIV trunk with rear seats folded to fit a kayak and other gear
2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Photo: Chevrolet

Memorial Day weekend in 2021 will look nothing like what it did in 2020. According to AAA, this year’s holiday weekend will see a surge of travelers hitting the road. Compared to last year, AAA predicts a major increase of Americans who are using Memorial Day weekend as their return to travel.


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“From May 27 through May 31, more than 37 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home, an increase of 60 percent from last year when only 23 million traveled, the lowest on record since AAA began recording in 2000,” reports AAA Public Relations manager Julie Hall.

Although the prediction for 2021 exceeds the reality of travelers in 2020, the number still falls short of what 2019 recorded. According to AAA, that decrease ranks 6 million less.

COVID-19 pandemic restrictions may be lessening this year as more and more Americans are vaccinated against the virus, but travelers still need to prioritize their health and safety, cautions AAA.

“As more people get the COVID-19 vaccine and consumer confidence grows, Americans are demonstrating a strong desire to travel this Memorial Day,” said Paula Twidale, senior vice president, AAA Travel. “This pent-up demand will result in a significant increase in Memorial Day travel, which is a strong indicator for summer, though we must all remember to continue taking important safety precautions.”

Many travelers are focusing on road trips this weekend and during summer. The top three road trip destinations for 2021 Memorial Day weekend are Las Vegas, Nevada; Orlando, Florida; and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Denver, Colorado, and Nashville, Tennessee, take fourth and fifth place, respectively, for road trip destinations according to two sources — bookings tracked by AAA Travel and road trip searches via TripTik.


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In total, road trips will be the goal this Memorial Day weekend for approximately 34 million Americans, reports AAA.