Brace for a Memorial Day weekend travel boom
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Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
If you're planning to leave Central Ohio this Memorial Day weekend, add some wiggle room for traffic and delays into your travel plan.
Why it matters: AAA estimates this will be one of Ohio's busiest Memorial Day weekends ever, with more than 1.6 million Ohioans traveling over 50 miles — a 6% increase over last year.
The big picture: That's in line with a national increase of 7%, with some 2.3 million more people traveling compared with 2022, writes Axios' Sareen Habeshian.
By the numbers: 11% more Ohioans are expected to fly to a destination this year and 5% more are expected to drive, per AAA.
- Columbus metro residents trend slightly higher, at 13% and 6%.
Yes, but: Driving may be the way to go. The average price of gas in the Columbus area was $3.51 per gallon yesterday, according to AAA.
- That's down from $4.43 per gallon this week last year.
- Meanwhile, airfare to top destinations is up 40% from 2022.
Zoom in: John Glenn International Airport is expected to be frenetic, with the holiday weekend marking the unofficial start of summer for many travelers.
- The airport projects 15,200 average daily departing airline seats over May 26-29, up 10% from 2022.
Meanwhile, with major local events happening — the Memorial Tournament, the Asian Festival, Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival and Buckeye Country Superfest — Central Ohio will be a bustling destination in its own right.
Be smart: Friday is expected to be the busiest day on the roads, according to transportation data tracker INRIX.
- The best times to travel by car are early morning or after 6pm.
- Traffic incidents typically increase 10% over Memorial Day weekend, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation, so stay focused, buckle up and obey the speed limit.