MINNEAPOLIS — Are you heading out the door to start Memorial Day weekend travel? If so, you won't be alone.
AAA just released new travel predictions. They predict more than 39 million Americans will travel this weekend. That's up more than 8% from last year.
So, what mode of transportation are people choosing to take this weekend? According to predictions, there's no competition.
Nearly 35 million Americans will hit the roads. More than 3 million will fly, and over 1 million will take other modes of transportation. All of those options saw an increase from last year.
It doesn't matter what form of transportation you're taking; it won't be cheap.
The average lowest price airfare is up 6% from last year. Experts say when buying tickets, plan. Saturday will be the most expensive day to fly, while Monday is the cheapest.
Meanwhile, the cost of gas has climbed above $4 per gallon in every state.
As of Friday morning, the average price for gas in Minnesota is $4.22. Nationwide, it came to $4.60.
Say you wanted to drive from Minneapolis to Chicago this weekend with the national average for gas at $4.60. It would cost you about $150 round trip, not including tolls or hotels. Experts say average hotel rates have jumped about 42%.
If you're road-tripping, Triple-A suggests searching for the best gas prices along your route. Websites and apps like GasBuddy can help you with that process.
There is a silver lining if you decide to drive instead of fly.
"The one area that's a little cheaper this year than last year: rental cars. This time last year, there was that weird rental car crunch where if you could find a rental car, it was a lot more expensive. They've now kind of rebuilt their fleets. So rental car prices are at least a little less than they were last year," said Andrew Gross, a AAA spokesperson.
As you prepare to hit the road, keep drive times in mind. The worst time to hit the road Friday is 3:00- 5:00 p.m.
From Saturday to Monday, you'll want to avoid the highway from 12:00- 2:00 p.m., and when you're heading back from vacation on Tuesday, you'll want to stay off the roads from 3:00- 5:00 p.m.
Find more Memorial Day weekend travel tips here.
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