Record Number of Carolinians to travel for Memorial Day Weekend

AAA Carolinas projects an estimated 1,260,000 North Carolinians and 593,250 South Carolinians will travel this Memorial Day weekend, the highest Memorial Day travel volume since 2005 and an increase of 5% from last year, says AAA Carolinas spokesperson Tiffany Wright. “Although Carolinians will be filling up at the pumps with the highest gas prices since 2014, that won’t keep them at home. A strong economy and growing consumer confidence are giving Carolinians the motivation they need to kick off what we expect to be a busy summer travel season with a Memorial Day getaway. The 88% of travelers choosing to drive will pay the most expensive Memorial Day gas prices since 2014. Gas prices average $2.73 in North Carolina, a 52-cent increase from the $2.21 Memorial Day price in 2017. South Carolina will experience an even larger jump with its current average of $2.61 being 56-cents higher than last year’s Memorial Day price, due to expensive crude oil, record gasoline demand and shrinking global supply. However, these higher prices are not keeping holiday travelers home, with automobile travel expected to increase for the fourth straight year.” The Memorial Day holiday travel period is defined as Thursday, May 24 to Monday, May 28. AAA predicts drivers will experience the greatest amount of congestion on Thursday, May 24 and Friday, May 25, in the late afternoon as commuters leave work early and mix with holiday travelers. Several major U.S. metros could experience double the travel times compared to a normal trip. Travel numbers are not expected to change for Memorial Day weekend, though gas prices likely will. For the most up-to-date gas prices throughout the Carolinas, visit www.gasprices.aaa.com. AAA Carolinas, an affiliate of the American Automobile Association, is a not-for-profit organization that serves more than 2.1 million member and the public with travel, automobile and insurance services while being an advocate for the safety and security of all travelers.