Memorial Day 2024 Travel Nears MD Record: Best, Worst Times For 861K Expected Drivers

MARYLAND — Nearly 861,000 Marylanders are expected to travel this Memorial Day weekend, according to AAA Maryland's travel forecast.

This year will see 2.7 percent more travelers over last year. This should be Maryland's third-most Memorial Day weekend travelers since 2000, when AAA started tracking holiday travel.

The number of travelers should rival, but not break, 2019's record of 911,000 Maryland travelers.

AAA said these are the best times to hit the road:

• Thursday, May 23 - Before 11 a.m. and after 7 p.m.
• Friday, May 24 - Before 11 a.m. and after 8 p.m.
• Saturday, May 25 - Before 1 p.m. and after 6 p.m.
• Sunday, May 26 - Before 1 p.m.
• Monday, May 27 - After 7 p.m.

These are the worst times to drive, AAA said:

• Thursday, May 23 - Noon to 6 p.m.
• Friday, May 24 - Noon to 7 p.m.
• Saturday, May 25 - 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Sunday, May 26 - 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Monday, May 27 - 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

These are just the best times in general to drive around Maryland. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge has its own best and worst times to cross. Those hours are posted here.

Related: MD Bay Bridge: Best Times To Cross On Memorial Day Weekend 2024

“It appears Maryland residents are ready to pack up the car, or catch a flight, bus or train to celebrate the Memorial Day holiday weekend,” AAA Maryland spokesperson Ragina Cooper Ali said in a press release.

About 88 percent of Maryland travelers will drive this weekend, putting 760,929 residents on the road. That's up nearly 3 percent from last year, marking Maryland's third-most car travelers for any Memorial Day on record.

Maryland's average price for a gallon of unleaded gasoline was $3.55 as of Tuesday, AAA said. Gas prices are slightly higher than last year, but they're two cents less than last week and 21 cents less than last month.

“Traveling by car remains appealing for many, due to the convenience and flexibility it provides, despite slightly higher gas prices this year,” Ali said. “While the average price of gas across Maryland has dropped about 20 cents in the past month, gas prices remain approximately 8 cents higher than last year at this time.”

Many drivers will head to Ocean City to celebrate the unofficial start to summer. Ocean City Mayor Richard Meehan welcomed the visitors but asked everybody to be careful on the roadways.

“Ocean City is looking forward to the start of summer this Memorial Day holiday weekend. There is no better place to spend time off this summer than Ocean City, and we have so many new exciting events and features this year for our visitors to enjoy,” Meehan said in the release. “We ask everyone to please walk smart, drive smart and bike smart while you visit us.”

Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller reminded drivers to be safe on the roads. The Maryland State Police, Maryland Transportation Authority Police and law enforcement officers across the region will closely patrol the highways all weekend.

“As we begin the summer travel and highway construction seasons, the Moore-Miller administration is committed to reducing traffic fatalities and protecting our roadway workers,” Miller said in the release. “The coordinated initiatives and enforcement measures launched by the Maryland Department of Transportation and the Maryland State Police are aimed at changing driver behavior to slow down and drive safely.”

Roughly 8 percent will fly, as 72,262 look to the skies. That's up nearly 2 percent from last year, giving 2024 Maryland's second-highest Memorial Day travel volume by air on record.

AAA offered these tips for flyers:

• Check your flight status before leaving for the airport: Don’t make a wasted trip. Download the airline app and check your flight status before setting out.
• Get there early: Airports will be crowded. Arrive at the airport at least two hours early for domestic flights and three hours for international.
• Understand expectations: Review TSA guidelines for getting through security and pack accordingly. To learn more about which airports have the longest wait times for security visit TheExtraMile.com.

The remaining 27,719 will take a bus, train or cruise. This group saw the largest year-over-year increase at nearly 3.5 percent.

“This category took the biggest hit during the pandemic with fewer people taking public transportation or not cruising at all,” Ali said. “Travel demand - especially for cruises has been soaring, and long holiday weekends create the perfect window for getaways.”

Nationally, 43.8 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home to celebrate Memorial Day in 2024. That's a 4 percent increase from last year, AAA said in its annual Memorial Day travel forecast. Travel this year could approach the record set in 2005, when 44 million people took Memorial Day trips.