One of the busiest weekends of Memorial Day Weekend travel ever is anticipated.

AAA expects travel for Memorial Day weekend  to surpass pre-pandemic levels, signaling a true return to pre-2020 travel levels. The agency projects 42.3 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home, a 7% increase over 2022. This year, 2.7 million more people will travel for the unofficial start of summer compared to last year, a sign of what’s to come in the months ahead.  

This year is expected to be the busiest Memorial Day Weekend since 2000, when Triple-A started tracking travel numbers.

Just ahead of the Memorial Day weekend, gas prices across the U.S. are up slightly. The average price per gallon Wednesday is $3.56 The most expensive gas in the nation is in California at $4.81 while the cheapest on average is in Mississippi at $2.99. Gas in Kansas is at $3.26 a gallon. In Saline County the average is $3.17 a gallon.

AAA Kansas expects to rescue nearly 1,700 motorists in our state this weekend. The agency says preparation is the best way to prevent any avoidable mishaps.