Memorial Day travel, millions of people expected to hit the road
Memorial Day travel 2025
Memorial Day weekend isn’t just the unofficial kick-off to summer, it’s reliably one of the busiest travel weekends of the entire year.
MILWAUKEE COUNTY, Wis. - Memorial Day weekend isn’t just the unofficial kick-off to summer, it’s reliably one of the busiest travel weekends of the entire year.
"Just spending time with family," said Neka Berry.
Memorial Day brings people together.
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"I get to chill with my family, my kids and just barbecue and eat," said Candy Nichols. "I’m not traveling. I’m going to be here."
Nichols won’t be going far for the holiday, but that’s not the case for everyone.
Travel projections
By the numbers:
AAA projects 45.1 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home over the Memorial Day holiday period.
That’s up from last year.
Nearly 40 million are expected to drive.
AAA says more than 800,000 Wisconsin drivers are expected to hit the road.
Late Sunday morning, FOX6 saw smooth sailing on the interstate.
Drivers are hoping it stays that way.
Gas prices
By the numbers:
The national average gas prices are the lowest they’ve been over Memorial Day weekend since 2021.
Gas prices across the state are also down.
AAA advises mapping out your preferred route, including rest and meal stops.
They also say you should fill up the gas tank the day before and get a good night’s sleep ahead of your road trip.
Travel timing
What we know:
The best time to travel on Memorial Day is before 2 p.m.
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The worst time is between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Monday evening.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is urging people to plan to have a safe holiday.
"Just spending time with family. Just being with family, because that’s the most important thing," added Berry.
Real ID
What we know:
This weekend also marks the first holiday travel period with new Real ID requirements at airports.
The TSA says about 93% of passengers are presenting a Real ID or an acceptable alternative, such as a passport.
The Source: FOX6 spoke to travelers and sourced data from AAA, Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT), and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).