Nearly 1 Million MA Residents Expected to Travel Memorial Day Weekend

Tuesday, May 15, 2018
GoLocalWorcester News Team

Nearly 1 million Massachusetts residents and 42 million Americans will travel on Memorial Day weekend, the most since 2005, according to AAA.

AAA reports that of the 1 million MA residents, 900,000 are expected to drive the year, while 36.6  million Americans across the country will drive to their destination.

“The highest gas prices since 2014 won’t keep travelers home this Memorial Day weekend. A strong economy and growing consumer confidence are giving Americans all the motivation they need to kick off what we expect to be a busy summer travel season with a Memorial Day getaway,”  said Mary Maguire, AAA Northeast Director of Public and Legislative Affairs.

By the Numbers: 2018 Memorial Day Holiday Travel Forecast

• Car rental prices are down 27.9 percent in the Boston area, with an average daily rate around $80 dollars down from $111 last year.
• Flying is cheaper this year with roundtrip airfares from Boston to New York down 6.3 percent from last year, and roundtrip Boston to Washington D.C. down 11.2 percent.
• 80,000 Massachusetts residents are expected to travel by air, an increase of 7 percent from last year.
• In Massachusetts, almost 1 million people will be traveling, an increase of 5.2 percent from last year.

 

See the chart of worst days and times to travel below: