Memorial Day travel is booming, much like prices, forecasts show

Memorial Day weekend — the traditional start of the summer travel season — will feature more travelers and higher prices in Colorado, experts say.

Driving the news: 80% of Colorado residents say they feel comfortable traveling this summer, up 47% from this time last year to reach the highest point since the pandemic began, according to a AAA survey.

• 90% of travelers plan to drive this weekend despite historically high gas prices reaching an average $4.16 this week, up from $3.12 a year ago.
• Denver's airport is expecting passenger traffic to meet or exceed 2019 levels.

The big picture: Gas prices and inflationary costs are influencing travelers more than COVID-19 this year, according to a poll commissioned by the American Hotel & Lodging Association.

The bottom line: "Travel comfort has hit a two-year high, with reservations for flights, hotels and cruises for Memorial Day weekend running twice as strong as last year," said Skyler McKinley, AAA's regional director of public affairs, in a statement.

• "All signs point to that momentum carrying into the summer."