Together with vacation needs such as the solar blocker and a toothbrush, the South Californians who hope to escape for the weekend of the Fallen Day must also bring a great offer of patience to the highways and airports.
A record number of people throughout the country is choosing to travel instead of staying during the long weekend, the official summer start, according to the Automobile Club in Southern California, or AAA.
In southern California, around 3.6 million are expected to reach the road or get on an airplane, the third consecutive year of records for the weekend of the day of the fallen.
“Consumers continue to prioritize trips with family and friends after pandemic,” said Jena Miller, vice president of travel products for AAA, in a statement.
Most people will be behind the wheel for their weekend getaways, according to AAA. It is expected that approximately 2.9 million people in southern California go to the road from Thursday, approximately 3.6% more than last year.
Around 45.1 million people throughout the country will travel during the long weekend and most of them, approximately 39.4 million, will be driving, AAA estimates.
The car club said that drivers will also pay less with car rental costs that are expected to be approximately 8% lower than last year, and gasoline prices of approximately 50 to 60 cents cheaper than last May.
More drivers means worse worse, but the traveler in mid -morning has a better opportunity to be rewarded with a faster trip. Experts say that before noon is the best time for people to enter the road this weekend.
“It is expected that on Thursday, May 22 and Friday, May 23 is the busiest travel day,” said Gianella Ghiglino, spokesman for AAA, in a statement. “Then, if you leave those days, you want to make sure to avoid that peak morning in the morning and still leave before noon.”
In southern California, the most busy highway section is expected to be the 5 highway from Los Angeles to Bakersfield, where the typical 90 -minute trip could take up to three hours during the worst moments, according to AAA.
The vacationers seeking to get on a flight this weekend must be prepared for full airports and expect traffic to go to Los Angeles International Airport.
“Lax anticipates an increase in vehicle and passenger traffic,” said Courtney Moore, Deputy Executive Director of Strategy, Innovation and Experience for World Airports in Los Angeles. “As always, guests are encouraged to plan in advance of reserving the parking lot, verifying online and monitoring the state of the flight before reaching the airport.”
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, almost 54,000 flights are scheduled on Thursday, the busiest air trips for the weekend and one of the busiest of the year so far at the airports throughout the country.
This increase will come despite the fact that national flights cost approximately 2% more this year compared to 2024, according to AAA.
The transport security administration is preparing for the avalanche of travelers. The agency expects to evaluate about 18 million passengers and crew members between Thursday and Wednesday.
“TSA is ready for the additional volume of passengers, and we hope to welcome the families traveling during this peak period,” said McNeill, TSA's interim administrator, in a statement.
The officials are encouraging aerial passengers to ensure that the bags comply with the regulations of TSA and bring a real identification or other acceptable identification, such as a passport.
