2nd Most US Traveled Memorial Day Weekend Expected; Road Record

SAN JOSE, CA — On your mark, get set, go.

Nearly 43 million Americans are shrugging off anticipated traffic backups, high gas prices and crowded airports to start their summers on a high note with a Memorial Day weekend getaway, AAA reported.

This long holiday weekend, marking the unofficial start of summer vacation season, will see the second-highest travel volume on record since AAA began tracking holiday travel volumes dating back to 2000, trailing only the bar set in 2005. Overall, an additional 1.5 million more people will take to the nation’s roads, rails and runways compared with last year. This is a 3.6 percent increase over 2018.

Among the ground zero points is Mineta San Jose International Airport where the adrenaline rush going in and out of Silicon Valley's primary airport is on, with a record travel day expected Friday to be followed by quieter days on Saturday and Monday. Those days will give way to busy times on Sunday and Tuesday as the latter experiences the colliding mix of leisure passengers headed home with business travelers going out on the job, airport spokeswoman Rosemary Barnes told Patch.

Almost 28,000 departures are anticipated to leave the area. Double that for arrivals, and the hopping airport with its six new gates to greet the summer in June six new gates to the south end of Terminal B, along with new restaurant vendors and electric buses.

A nine-plus-month buildout valued at $58 million, the new gates labeled 31 to 35 will be turned over to Southwest Airlines after the official launch June 13. Gate 36 will come on board on Nov. 1, upon a massive shifting of airline posts at the airport as the carriers continue to add flights and destinations.

"We have to respond accordingly," Barnes said.

This means passengers need to plan ahead like no other time. She recommends arriving at the San Jose airport at least 1 1/2 hours ahead of departure. In the meantime, passengers will notice changes with the eating and drinking establishments. Chick fil-A, Trader Vics and the International Beer Union are going in for the summer season. Amid some grumblings, the landmark San Jose Joe's with its signature bloody Mary mix is going away.

"They served us extremely well. With the look and feel of the airport, we're providing what we think the passengers are looking for," she said.

In keeping pace with Americans thirst to travel, the airport is planning on surpassing its record-setting 14.3 million passengers counted in 2018, with 15 million expected this year, Barnes indicated. A bump in this air travel year starts with this monumental weekend.

Record numbers will hit road

Despite a rising national gas price average that is inching closer to the $3 per gallon mark and about a dollar more in California, the vast majority of holiday travelers will drive to their destinations, AAA indicated. For these motorists, INRIX, a global transportation analytics company, expects travel delays on major roads could be more than three times longer than normal during evening commutes.

A jump of 3.5 percent in contrast to last year, 37 million motorists will take to the road — a record-setting number mirrored by the 4.5 million clogging California alone.

"We're not seeing gas prices work as a deterrent. The economy is doing well with increasing job growth, so people are taking the extra cash and traveling with it," AAA Northern California spokesman Sergio Avila told Patch. He mentioned the San Jose AAA branch has been busier Friday with servicing travelers with the company's vast resources.

Air travel across the United States will go up this year to 4.8 percent more than the 3.25 million taking to the skies. The number is only surpassed by those in 2005, according to AAA.

Train, bus and cruise ship travel will also increase this year by 3.8 percent to 1.9 million passengers over the holiday.

“Americans are eagerly anticipating the start of summer, and expensive gas prices won’t keep them home this Memorial Day weekend,” said Paula Twidale, vice president of AAA Travel. "Families continue to prioritize spending their disposable incomes on travel, and near-record numbers of them are looking forward to doing just that for Memorial Day.”

Gas prices have gone up by more than 30 cents in the last two months, with the national average nudging close to $3.00 a gallon. The figure is relatively on par with prices this time last year. However, what's different is that 88 percent of travelers will choose to drive to their Memorial Day destinations this year, the most on record.

“When gas prices are expensive, travelers may shorten the distance of a road trip, eat out less or look for free activities,” AAA gas price analyst Jeanette Casselano said. “But overall, prices are very similar to this time last year, and like then, they aren’t letting that deter them from taking summer road trips.”

Top Memorial Day travel destinations

Orlando to San Francisco may expect an influx of travelers for the holiday. These are the top destinations in the United States this Memorial Day weekend, based on advance AAA Travel bookings:

1. Orlando, Florida
2. New York, New York
3. Las Vegas, Nevada
4. Honolulu, Hawaii
5. Anaheim, California
6. Seattle, Washington
7. Phoenix, Arizona
8. Anchorage, Alaska
9. Tampa, Florida
10. San Francisco, California

For those travelers planning an international vacation for Memorial Day, Europe is the destination of choice. Rome, London, Dublin and Paris are the most popular locales for international vacations this Memorial Day weekend, with Vancouver, Canada, rounding out the top five, added AAA, with its 59 million members.

AAA on tap to rescue more than 353,000 motorists

AAA expects to be called on to rescue more than 353,000 motorists at the roadside this Memorial Day weekend. Dead batteries, flat tires and lockouts will be the leading reasons AAA members will experience car trouble.
AAA recommends motorists be prepared for emergencies with a mobile phone and car charger as well as a flashlight with extra batteries, first-aid kit, basic toolkit and drinking water and snacks for all passengers.