The Memorial Day holiday travel period gets underway Thursday and with 2.9 million SoCal residents expected to hit the road this weekend, here's what travelers can expect.
The Automobile Club of Southern California predicts that 3.6 million SoCal residents will embark on journeys this holiday weekend, kicking off the summer travel season.
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WATCH HEREThe predicted number of travelers would be a 3.6% increase from 2024, and would mark the third straight year of record-breaking travel by Southern California residents on Memorial Day weekend.
"Consumers continue to prioritize travel with family and friends after the pandemic,'' Jena Miller, the Auto Club's vice president of travel products, said in a statement. "This year, they will get some price relief at the gas pump, car rental counter, and when flying internationally, but they will spend more on domestic flights, hotels, cruises and tours compared to 2024.''
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SIGN UP Of the 3.6 million Southern California travelers, 2.9 million are expected to drive to their destinations.
Best times to travel by car:
- Thursday, May 22 - Before 12 p.m.
- Friday, May 23 - Before 11 a.m.
- Saturday, May 24 - Before 12 p.m.
- Sunday, May 25 - Before 1 p.m.
- Monday, May 26 - Before 2 p.m.
Worst times to travel by car:
- Thursday, May 22 - 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Friday, May 23 - 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Saturday, May 24 - 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- Sunday, May 25 - 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Monday, May 26 - 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
About 382,000 travelers are expected to fly and 260,000 will take other transportation, such as bus, train or cruise to their destinations.
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Transportation data firm INRIX advised that the afternoons and evenings on Thursday and Friday will be the busiest times to travel. The busiest stretch of freeway is expected to be the northbound Golden State Freeway between Los Angeles and Bakersfield on Friday afternoon/evening, with the travel time increasing by 83%.
The top local destinations for Southern Californians will be Las Vegas, San Diego, the Central Coast and nearby national parks such as the Grand Canyon, according to the Auto Club.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is expecting to screen about 18 million passengers and crew from Thursday, May 22, to Wednesday, May 28.
“TSA is ready for the additional passenger volume, and we look forward to welcoming families traveling during this peak period,” said TSA Acting Administrator Ha McNeill. “As a friendly reminder, to ensure a smooth screening experience, bring acceptable forms of ID like your REAL ID.”
