A record-breaking 45 million Americans are hitting the road, skies, and seas this Memorial Day weekend — and if you’re one of them, when you leave could be the difference between a relaxed start to summer and hours stuck in gridlock. AAA’s 2026 forecast shows 39.1 million travelers going by car alone, making this one of the busiest driving weekends in history. Here’s everything you need to know to beat the crowds, avoid the worst congestion windows, and get to your destination without losing your mind.
Travel window: Thursday, May 21 – Monday, May 25, 2026
Total travelers: 45 million Americans (AAA forecast)
Road trippers: 39.1 million — 87% of all holiday travelers
Source: AAA Travel forecast + INRIX traffic data
Best Times to Drive: When the Roads Are Actually Clear
According to INRIX traffic analysis, the key to surviving Memorial Day weekend is simple: travel early or travel late, and avoid the afternoon rush at all costs. The good news is there are genuine windows of light traffic if you plan around them.
After 9 p.m. Thursday night. If you can leave after dinner and drive into the night, Thursday evening is one of the clearest travel windows of the entire weekend.
Before 11 a.m. Get out early Friday morning and you’ll beat the midday wave that kicks in around 11 a.m. and runs through the evening.
Before 11 a.m. Same pattern as Friday — early morning is your friend. Saturday afternoon turns congested from noon to 5 p.m.
Before 10 a.m. Monday or wait until Monday evening. Sunday is also the lightest traffic day of the weekend for return trips.
Worst Times to Drive: The Windows to Avoid at All Costs
Afternoons are the enemy this Memorial Day weekend. INRIX data identifies a consistent pattern of peak congestion across all days of the holiday, with Thursday and Friday afternoons being the most brutal. If you absolutely must drive during these windows, add significant buffer time to your estimated arrival.
Noon – 9 p.m. The longest and heaviest congestion window of the weekend. Nine full hours of peak traffic as commuters and holiday travelers collide.
11 a.m. – 8 p.m. Friday is the single most dangerous day to be on the road. Many cities see travel times double or nearly triple during this window.
Noon – 5 p.m. Moderate congestion for those still departing Saturday afternoon. Not as severe as Friday but still significant on major corridors.
Noon – 5 p.m. The return rush. Anyone who didn’t leave by 10 a.m. will hit the wave of returning holiday travelers hitting the highways simultaneously.
Memorial Day Traffic: Peak Congestion Windows by Day
The chart below visualizes relative congestion severity across each day of the Memorial Day weekend, from Thursday through Monday. Green zones indicate lighter traffic; red zones reflect peak congestion periods based on INRIX data.
City-by-City Breakdown: Peak Times, Worst Routes & Travel Time Increases
INRIX has identified the single worst route, worst day, worst time, and expected travel time increase for eight of the country’s most congested metro areas. If you’re driving in or out of any of these cities, these numbers should shape your departure plan.
Worst route: Atlanta → Augusta via I-20 E
Worst day/time: Thursday at 5:15 p.m.
Expected travel time: 3 hours, 11 minutes
Travel time increase: +43%
Worst route: Boston → Hyannis via Pilgrims Highway S
Worst day/time: Friday at 3:15 p.m.
Expected travel time: 2 hours, 45 minutes
Travel time increase: +94%
Worst route: Denver → Fort Collins via I-25 N
Worst day/time: Monday at 5 p.m.
Expected travel time: 1 hour, 47 minutes
Travel time increase: +113%
Worst route: Houston → Austin via I-10 W & SR-71 W
Worst day/time: Friday at 3 p.m.
Expected travel time: 3 hours, 50 minutes
Travel time increase: +56%
Worst route: Los Angeles → Palm Springs via I-10 E
Worst day/time: Friday at 5:30 p.m.
Expected travel time: 4 hours, 21 minutes
Travel time increase: +88%
Worst route: New York → Jersey Shore via Garden State Pkwy S
Worst day/time: Friday at 2:15 p.m.
Expected travel time: 2 hours, 57 minutes
Travel time increase: +102%
Worst route: San Francisco → Napa via I-80 E
Worst day/time: Friday at 6:15 p.m.
Expected travel time: 2 hours, 47 minutes
Travel time increase: +78%
Worst route: Washington, D.C. → Baltimore via Baltimore-Washington Pkwy N
Worst day/time: Thursday at 4:15 p.m.
Expected travel time: 1 hour, 56 minutes
Travel time increase: +116% — highest in the country
Travel Time Increases by City: How Much Longer Will Your Drive Take?
The percentage increase in travel time tells the real story of Memorial Day congestion. Washington D.C. tops the list at a staggering 116% longer drive time — meaning a trip that normally takes an hour takes nearly two hours at peak congestion. Denver and New York are close behind. Even Atlanta, the “best” city on this list, adds 43% to normal drive times at peak hours.
Where Is Everyone Going? Top Memorial Day Destinations for 2026
AAA booking data reveals where Americans are headed this holiday weekend. Domestically, theme parks and beach cities dominate — with Orlando leading the pack by a wide margin. For international travelers, Europe remains the top draw, with Rome, Paris, London, Vancouver, and Athens rounding out the most-booked destinations abroad.
How Americans Are Traveling This Memorial Day
Road trips dominate Memorial Day travel as they always have — but air travel and cruises are also slightly up year-over-year in 2026, with many bookings locked in before fuel prices rose to their current levels. Here’s how the 45 million travelers are breaking down by mode.
7 Tips to Make Your Memorial Day Drive Less Miserable
Beyond timing your departure around the traffic windows above, a few practical strategies can significantly improve your Memorial Day road trip experience.
1. Use real-time navigation. Apps like Google Maps and Waze update continuously during holiday weekends and can reroute you around accidents and congestion as they develop.
2. Fill up the night before. Gas stations near highways get extremely busy on holiday mornings — fill your tank the evening before departure to avoid delays.
3. Have snacks and entertainment ready. If you hit traffic despite your best planning, being prepared with snacks, podcasts, playlists, and games keeps everyone calmer.
4. Check construction zones in advance. Holiday weekends often see paused construction, but active zones that resumed could add unexpected delays. Check your state DOT’s website before leaving.
5. Consider splitting the drive. If you’re traveling more than 6 hours, consider driving Thursday night to a halfway point and finishing Friday morning before 11 a.m. — you’ll avoid the worst of both days.
6. Monday morning is your friend. If your schedule allows, leave your destination before 10 a.m. on Monday. The return rush doesn’t build until noon, so an early start gets you home before the worst of it hits.
7. Sunday is underrated. INRIX data identifies Sunday as the lightest traffic day of the entire weekend. If your plans are flexible, a Sunday return trip can cut significant time off your drive home.
Memorial Day weekend traffic is an unavoidable reality when 45 million people all decide to travel in the same five-day window — but it doesn’t have to ruin your trip. The difference between a smooth drive and a three-hour parking lot on the highway often comes down to a single decision: when you leave. Armed with INRIX’s city-by-city data and AAA’s broader travel picture, you now have everything you need to time your departure, plan your route, and make the most of the unofficial start of summer 2026.
Best times to leave: After 9 p.m. Thursday | Before 11 a.m. Friday or Saturday | Before 10 a.m. Monday
Worst times to drive: Thu noon–9 p.m. | Fri 11 a.m.–8 p.m. | Sat & Mon noon–5 p.m.
Lightest traffic day: Sunday
Most congested city: Washington, D.C. (+116% travel time Thursday at 4:15 p.m.)
Sources: AAA Travel 2026 Memorial Day Forecast | INRIX Traffic Data
Some International Destinations Come With Far More Serious Warnings
While Memorial Day traffic is stressful, it’s worth remembering that some destinations Americans are eyeing this summer carry risks far more serious than congestion. The U.S. government has issued its highest possible “Do Not Travel” advisory for certain countries, citing active landmine fields, kidnapping threats targeting American tourists, and limited Embassy assistance. Before booking any international summer travel, it pays to check the State Department’s current advisories.
Read: Highest U.S. Travel Warning Issued Over Deadly Landmines & Kidnapping Threats →
