Traveling Memorial Day Weekend 2021: HV, LI Gas Prices Are Up

NEW YORK — Holiday travel was only a fraction of normal volume for most holidays in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. With vaccinations on the rise, this Memorial Day should bring a surge of highway and air travel compared with a year ago, according to a recent forecast by the American Automobile Association.

And residents of Long Island and the Hudson Valley will be paying a lot more at the pump — the highest gas prices since 2014, AAA reported.

Fourteen months into the coronavirus pandemic, New Yorkers are yearning to travel, especially now that more than 119 million Americans are fully vaccinated against the deadly virus and have more flexibility on wearing masks.

That desire will likely manifest in a surge of travelers this Memorial Day weekend, AAA predicts, adding that between May 27-31, more than 37 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home.

The number represents a massive, 60 percent increase from last year when 23 million people traveled over the holiday, the lowest on record since AAA started recording in 2000.

"Optimism coinciding with the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and growing consumer confidence are fueling a strong desire to travel this summer as the U.S. takes steps toward putting the pandemic behind us," said Ragina C. Ali, manager of public and government affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic, saying the pent-up demand for quick getaways and even longer, more extravagant trips is called 'Revenge Travel.'

Partnering with travel analytics firm INRIX, AAA predicts that drivers will encounter the longest travel delays during the afternoons of May 27 and May 28. New York drivers could see more than three times the delay on the busiest corridors.

Gas Prices

Those traveling by car will pay the most expensive Memorial Day weekend gas prices since 2014, according to AAA. The national average is $3.041 as of May 27, slightly down from the increases tied to the Colonial Pipeline shutdown. But national prices will be well above the average of a year ago — only $1.958.

In New York, the current average price is even higher, at $3.076; however, as usual gas is more expensive in the NYC metro area, surging as high as $3.215 in Westchester County. Long Island prices are lower than the Hudson Valley, according to AAA's May 27 report.

• Nassau: $3.064
• Suffolk: $3.057
• Dutchess: $3.070
• Orange: $3.039
• Putnam: $3.138
• Rockland: $3.197
• Ulster: $2.994
• Westchester: $3.215

Safe Travels During COVID-19

Here's another question: Is it safe to travel? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently updated its guidance to state that fully vaccinated people can travel domestically at low risk to themselves.

Vaccinated or not, travelers should take the proper precautions and heed a few tips before they hit the road:

• Plan ahead. Check with state and local authorities where you are, along your route, and at your planned destination to learn about local circumstances and any restrictions that may be in place.
• Minimize stops along the way. Pack meals, extra snacks and drinks in addition to an emergency roadside kit.
• Follow public health guidance and new mask guidance. If you're unvaccinated, wear face masks and remember to socially distance. Wash your hands regularly and be sure to pack disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizer.
• Check with your hotel. Prior to any hotel stay, call ahead to ask what precautions it is taking and what requirements are in place to protect guests.

For other travel guidance from AAA, visit the organization's COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Map for the latest state and local travel restrictions. You can also use TripTik.AAA.com to plan your road trip and help determine which rest stops, gas stations, restaurants and hotels are open along your route.

Patch Editor Beth Dalbey contributed to this report.