AAA: 950,000 Tennesseans to Travel for Memorial Day Weekend

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (May 11, 2026 AAA) – AAA projects 950,000 Tennesseans will travel at least 50 miles from home for Memorial Day weekend, setting a new record for the holiday. The holiday travel period includes five days, beginning the Thursday before Memorial Day and ending on Monday.

Most Tennessee travelers will take road trips, with 795,000 expected to drive. Another 114,000 will fly, while 40,000 will travel by other modes such as bus, train, or cruise.

While travel volumes continue to climb, the increase from last year remains limited. Tennessee travel rose slightly year over year, reflecting a broader national trend of record-setting travel numbers paired with slower growth.

Nationally, AAA expects nearly 45 million Americans to travel over the Memorial Day holiday, the highest total on record. However, year-over-year growth remains less than one percent.

“Memorial Day travel is still reaching record levels, but with the smallest year-over-year increase in more than a decade,” said Megan Cooper, spokeswoman for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Although travel demand remains strong, higher fuel prices and persistent inflation may cause some travelers to shorten trips, delay plans, or stay closer to home.”

Memorial Day Travelers by Mode of Transportation

By Car:

Nationally, driving remains the most popular way to travel this Memorial Day weekend. AAA projects 39.1 million people will travel by car, a slight jump over last year.

A holiday road trip will cost more at the gas pump this year. The Tennessee average price for gasoline is $4.16 per gallon as of Sunday. Last year, the national average price was $2.75 per gallon on Memorial Day. Drivers can use the AAA mobile app to find the lowest price in their area. Visit GasPrices.AAA.com to view daily state and local price averages.

With heavier traffic expected, AAA urges drivers to Slow Down, Move Over for disabled vehicles and roadside responders. During last year’s Memorial Day weekend, AAA responded to more than 350,000 emergency roadside assistance calls nationwide to help stranded drivers with issues like dead batteries, flat tires, and empty fuel tanks. AAA encourages drivers to check their tires, battery, and fluid levels before hitting the road.

For travelers renting cars over Memorial Day weekend, AAA car rental partner Hertz says Thursday and Friday are expected to be the busiest pick-up days. The top 5 markets with the highest demand are Orlando, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver, and Boston. According to AAA booking data, domestic car rentals are 1% cheaper this holiday weekend compared to last year. AAA member benefits on rental cars can make the holiday more affordable and safer with free child safety seat rental at AAA.com/Hertz.

By Air:

Air travelers make up 8% of the share of travelers this holiday weekend. AAA projects 3.66 million travelers will fly domestically over the holiday weekend, a small increase over last year. According to AAA booking data, travelers who booked flights in advance paid about six percent less than last year, with an average ticket costing $800. However, more recent airfare trends may reflect rising fuel costs.

“Travel costs remain a mixed picture this year,” said Debbie Haas, Vice President of Travel for AAA The Auto Club Group. “Travelers who booked early may have secured lower airfares, but rising fuel costs are putting upward pressure on prices. Working with a travel agent can help travelers find the best value, tap into options they may not see on their own, and make the most of their overall travel budget.”

By Other Modes:

Travel by bus, train, and cruise will increase by more than 5% to 2.2 million travelers. The growth reflects expanded cruise capacity and continued demand for Alaska itineraries.

AAA’s Top Memorial Day Weekend Destinations

Memorial Day weekend travelers are taking trips to theme parks and famous landmarks, boarding cruises in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, and flying to Europe to visit iconic capital cities. Here are the top 10 domestic and international destinations, based on AAA booking data.

Best/Worst Times to Drive and Peak Congestion by Metro

INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, says Memorial Day weekend drivers should expect the heaviest congestion on Thursday and Friday between 3pm and 6pm and Monday afternoon. Sunday should be the lightest day for traffic, barring any unexpected events on the road.

According to INRIX, as congestion moves out of metro areas during holiday periods and onto highways, the risk of crashes increases as many drivers navigate unfamiliar routes outside of their normal commuting patterns. This stresses the importance of getting a good night’s rest before a road trip, planning your route ahead of time and driving undistracted and sober.

Please note the times listed below are for the time zone in which the metro is located. For example, Atlanta routes = ET and Los Angeles routes = PT.

SOURCE: INRIX

Holiday Travel Forecast Methodology

In cooperation with AAA, S&P Global Market Intelligence (SPGMI) developed a unique methodology to forecast actual domestic travel volumes. The economic variables used to forecast travel for the current holiday are leveraged from SPGMI’s proprietary databases. These data include macroeconomic drivers such as employment, output, household net worth, asset prices including stock indices, interest rates, housing market indicators, and variables related to travel and tourism, including gasoline prices, airline travel, and hotel stays. AAA and SPGMI have quantified holiday travel volumes going back to 2000.

Historical travel volume estimates come from MMGY’s TRAVEL PERFORMANCE/MonitorSM. The PERFORMANCE/MonitorSM is a comprehensive study measuring the travel behavior of U.S. residents. MMGY contacts over 50,000 U.S. households each month to obtain detailed travel data, resulting in the unique ability to estimate visitor volume and spending, identify trends, and forecast U.S. travel behavior, all after the trips have been taken.

The travel forecast is reported in person-trips. AAA and SPGMI forecast the total U.S. holiday travel volume and expected mode of transportation. The travel forecast presented in this report was finalized the week of April 13, 2026.

Because AAA holiday forecasts focus on domestic leisure travel only, comparisons to TSA passenger screening numbers should not be made. TSA data includes all passengers traveling on both domestic and international routes, whether traveling for work or leisure. Additionally, TSA screens passengers each time they enter secured areas of the airport, therefore each one-way trip is counted as a passenger tally. AAA focuses on person-trips, which include the full round-trip travel itinerary. As a result, direct comparisons of AAA forecast volumes and daily TSA screenings represent different factors.

INRIX Methodology

INRIX blends statistically grounded models with real-world road behavior to forecast travel conditions on the most heavily traveled routes across the U.S. during peak holiday periods. INRIX’s holiday traffic forecast combines pre-selected high-impact travel routes, rich multi-source traffic data, and a statistically robust linear regression model to generate detailed, time-specific travel delay predictions. INRIX’s data sources include a wide array of vehicle-based and infrastructure-based inputs. These include connected vehicle GPS data, mobile apps and navigation services, roadside sensors and cameras, and commercial fleet telematics. With expansive coverage, high temporal resolution, and historical context, this forecasting process provides essential insights for travelers, media, and agencies alike.

Memorial Day Holiday Travel Period

AAA’s Memorial Day holiday travel period includes five days, beginning the Thursday before Memorial Day and ending on Monday.

About S&P Global Market Intelligence

At S&P Global Market Intelligence, we understand the importance of accurate, deep and insightful information. Our team of experts delivers unrivaled insights and leading data and technology solutions, partnering with customers to expand their perspective, operate with confidence, and make decisions with conviction. S&P Global Market Intelligence is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI). S&P Global is the world’s foremost provider of credit ratings, benchmarks, analytics and workflow solutions in the global capital, commodity and automotive markets. With every one of our offerings, we help many of the world’s leading organizations navigate the economic landscape so they can plan for tomorrow, today. For more information, visit spglobal.com/marketintelligence.

About MMGY

MMGY Global is the world’s leading integrated marketing firm specializing in the travel, hospitality, and lifestyle industries. With operating brands around the world, the award-winning organization maintains a global communications practice in all marketing channels, serving many of the world’s premier travel and tourism brands. As a company dedicated to the travel industry, MMGY Global strives to create a connected, inclusive, and peaceful world by promoting travel as a cultural bridge of understanding. For more information, visit www.mmgyglobal.com.

About INRIX   

Founded in 2004, INRIX pioneered intelligent mobility solutions by transforming big data from connected devices and vehicles into mobility insights. This revolutionary approach enabled INRIX to become one of the leading providers of data and analytics into how people move. By empowering cities, businesses, and people with valuable insights, INRIX is helping to make the world smarter, safer, and greener. With partners and solutions spanning across the entire mobility ecosystem, INRIX is uniquely positioned at the intersection of technology and transportation – whether it’s keeping road users safe, improving traffic signal timing to reduce delay and greenhouse gasses, optimizing last mile delivery, or helping uncover market insights. Learn more at INRIX.com.

About AAA – The Auto Club Group

The Auto Club Group (ACG), named a 2026 Forbes Most Trusted Company in America, is the second-largest AAA club in North America, with more than 13 million members across 14 U.S. states and two U.S. territories. ACG and its affiliates provide members with roadside assistance, insurance products, financial services, travel offerings and more. ACG is part of the national AAA federation, which serves more than 66 million members across the United States and Canada. AAA’s mission is to protect and advance freedom of mobility and improve traffic safety. For more information, download the AAA Mobile app, visit AAA.com, and follow us on social media.