There could be a record breaking number of travelers this Memorial Day Weekend, the official kickoff to the summer travel season, across the country and across Kansas.

AAA Kansas is forecasting 45 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home for Memorial Day between Thursday, May 21 and Monday, May 25, including over 500,000 in Kansas. 

This year’s domestic travel forecast is slightly higher than last year and sets a new Memorial Day weekend record with 39.1 million people traveling by car and 3.66 million expected to fly to their destinations.

More than 503,000 Kansans will travel for this Memorial Day holiday (up 0.4% from 2025). Of those, more than 85%, or 429,000, will drive to their destination (down 0.3% year over year) and another 21,000 will fly, (a decrease of 0.7% from last year). The number of Kansans traveling by other modes of transportation (cruise, train, bus) is projected to be up slightly from last Memorial Day.

“Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, and for most Americans it’s a three-day weekend,” said Shawn Steward, Manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Kansas. “However, continued economic uncertainties and concerns over rising prices have led to the smallest year-over-year travel growth rate we’ve seen in more than a decade, outside of the COVID impacts in 2020.”

With more vehicles on the road this holiday weekend, AAA reminds drivers to put safety first, Slow Down, Move Over, and drive sober. Before hitting the road, check your car’s battery, tire pressure, and fluids. Last Memorial Day weekend, AAA responded to more than 350,000 emergency roadside assistance calls – including nearly 1,400 in Kansas – to help stranded drivers with issues like dead batteries, flat tires, and empty fuel tanks.

AAA’s Top Memorial Day Weekend Destinations

• Domestic flights are 6% cheaper this Memorial Day weekend compared to last year.
• Average price for a domestic roundtrip flight is $800.
• U.S. hotels are 4% cheaper this Memorial Day weekend compared to last year.
• Car rentals are 1% cheaper this Memorial Day weekend compared to last year.
• Cruises departing from domestic cities are 14% more expensive this holiday weekend.
• Average cost for cruises departing from domestic cities is $2,750.