This year is expected to make history as a projected 43.8 million Americans will be traveling on Memorial Day, according to AAA reports. That's more than we've seen in nearly 20 years!

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Travel forecast

This year, nearly 88%, or 38.4 million, will travel by car for Memorial Day. By plane? about 3.5 million. Last year only saw 42 million people, total, traveled for this holiday, so we're off to a great record-breaking start.

The busiest car rentals in America have historically been in Orlando, Denver, Atlanta, Boston, and Las Vegas.

Airports also expect high spikes in air travel this Memorial Day weekend. AAA projects that this year will be the most crowded Memorial Day in airports that we have seen since 2005.

Worst time to travel

Starting May 23rd and 24th, the worst time to travel by car in America is anywhere between noon and 6 pm. Your best bet is to schedule your routes around these times where congested traffic is bound to happen.

On Memorial Day itself, AAA advises you avoid traveling by car altogether until 7 pm.

Most common destinations

The places that Americans are most likely traveling to this Memorial Day weekend include Seattle, New York, Los Angeles, Miami and Boston.

For those more internationally inclined, top destinations for summer travel include Rome, London, Dublin, Athens, and Edinburgh.

So, there you have it. Please make sure you stay safe if you plan on traveling this Memorial Day weekend. Also, spend some time with family and loved ones. It's important to remember what is most important to you and what really matters on holidays like these.

And remember: always always ALWAYS pack extra underwear... you'll thank me when the time comes.

Travel Warnings for US Citizens in 2024

"Always carry a copy of your U.S. passport and visa (if applicable). Keep original documents in a secure location." - Travel.State.gov

Gallery Credit: Reesha Cosby

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