As the Memorial Day holiday approaches, travelers have flocked to airports and roads in record numbers, surpassing previous highs. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reported screening nearly 3 million passengers on Friday alone, setting a new single-day total. This summer, over 270 million passengers are anticipated to travel on U.S. airlines, reflecting a 6% increase from last year.
Following the holiday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) forecasts this Memorial Day weekend will be the busiest in 14 years. Road travelers are also expected to set new records, with more than 38 million people projected to travel by car over the long weekend, according to AAA. This marks the highest number since tracking began in 2000.
Cities with the highest rental car demand, as highlighted by Hertz, include Orlando, Denver, Atlanta, Boston, and Las Vegas. However, severe storms across multiple states have disrupted travel in some regions. Parts of Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas experienced extensive damage due to tornadoes, downed trees, and destroyed buildings, resulting in at least 20 fatalities. The storms caused flight delays and cancellations, while storm-hit roads faced blockages. By Monday morning, over 1,000 flights had been delayed and nearly 130 canceled within, into, or out of the U.S. for the Memorial Day holiday.
