Brace yourself for the Memorial Day weekend travel chaos as more than 42 MILLION Americans travel
Brace yourself for the Memorial Day chaos as more than 42 MILLION Americans set to travel: TODAY nearly 1,000 flights are experiencing delays as airports head into the busiest holiday weekend since 2005
- Huge crowds build at Orlando International Airport as boss warns demand is ‘once again pushing our capacity to its limits’
- 3.4 million are expected to fly on weekends and another 37.1 million will travel by car
- Lower gas prices and pent-up demand contributed to huge numbers
The country braces for the Memorial Day chaos as more than 42 million Americans get ready to hit the roads, rails and air for the long weekend.
Seventy-one flights within, to or from the US had already been canceled as of 10 a.m. this morning and another 892 were delayed.
The increase in airfare costs has not delayed the 3.4 million expected to fly, an 11 percent increase from last year and even a 5.4 percent increase from 2019 before the pandemic, the AAA said.
Airports are expected to have their busiest Memorial Day weekend since 2005. The roads had yet to give way to the pressure on Friday morning – but the holiday storm won’t really start until after the workday is over.
While gas prices remain high, they are well below last year’s levels, with an average national price of $3.53 per gallon compared to $4.60 in May 2022, encouraging 37.1 million people to travel by car. to travel.
Take a quick look at the lines here @MCO. It is very important that you are present at least 3 hours in advance for your flight. @AAA_Travel expect this to be the busiest Memorial Day weekend for airports since 2005! More this morning @MyNews13 pic.twitter.com/2EOYtu4lCI
— Celeste Springer (@CelesteSpringer) May 26, 2023
ORLANDO, THURSDAY: Large crowds were pictured making their way through Orlando Airport with bosses warning that capacity is being ‘pushed to the limit’
The heaviest congestion on the roads is expected to begin at 3 p.m. this afternoon and last until 6 p.m., the AAA said.
Large crowds were seen making their way through Orlando Airport Friday morning.
Marquez Griffin, vice president of Airport Operations, told My News 13 that the growing crowd “again pushed our capacity to its limits.”
Airports have been forced to prepare for the massive demand, with Delta reporting last month that its international flights were already 75 percent booked for the summer.
Delta expects it will carry 2.8 million passengers on Memorial Day weekend alone, an increase of more than 17 percent from 2022, and expects loads to be high over the holiday season.
The industry expects that after the years of disruption during the coronavirus pandemic, there is still a pent-up demand for travel.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian told CBS that “the planes are full, people are happy to return to get their lives and their joy back, and I don’t see that changing.”
“Travel is something people prioritize.”
CHICAGO FRIDAY: Passengers wait at Midway International Airport as the crowds gather
LOS ANGELES THURSDAY: Airports have been forced to prepare for the high demand
CHICAGO FRIDAY: Airline cost hike hasn’t delayed the 3.4 million expected to fly over the weekend
NEW JERSEY FRIDAY: Gas prices have fallen, encouraging 37.1 million people to travel by car
American Airlines also expects to carry 2.9 million passengers and will operate 26,637 flights over the weekend.
This year, 2.7 million more people are expected to travel than last year, an increase of 7 percent from 2022.
It is expected that 1.85 million people will take the bus or train, an increase of 20.6 percent compared to last year.
The travel company expects it to be the third-busiest Memorial Day weekend since 2000.