If you’re planning to hit the roads or skies this Memorial Day weekend, you’re not alone. But if you want to avoid certain crowds, you must follow certain rules.
According to AAA, travel numbers are expected to reach historic levels this year.
“We haven’t seen this amount of travel on Memorial Day weekend in almost 20 years,” Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel, said in a statement. “We are expecting one million more travelers this holiday weekend compared to 2019, which not only means we are surpassing pre-pandemic levels, but also heralds a very busy summer travel season ahead.”
On the roads, experts predict that 38.4 million people will travel by car this Memorial Day weekend across the United States, “the highest number for this holiday since AAA began tracking it in 2000”.
Meanwhile, more than 1.67 million passengers are expected to depart from Chicago airports alone between Thursday and Tuesday, an increase of 8.6% from the same period last year, based on projections from air carriers, the Chicago Department of Aviation reported.
O’Hare is expected to welcome more than 1.38 million passengers over the long holiday weekend, nearly 10% more than in 2023, while Midway Carriers predicts more than 294,000 passengers will pass through the airport, an increase of 3.1% compared to last year. Friday is expected to be the busiest travel day at both airports.
“This summer travel season is expected to be the busiest in years, and O’Hare and Midway are ready to welcome travelers from around the world to Chicago,” CDA Commissioner Jamie L. Rhee said in a communicated.
Looking to avoid the worst of the chaos?
AAA has suggested the best and fastest travel times, if you plan to drive there:
| Date | Worst travel time | Best travel time |
| Thursday May 23 | 12:00 – 18:00 | Before 11 a.m., After 7 p.m. |
| Friday May 24 | 12:00 – 19:00 | Before 11 a.m., After 8 p.m. |
| Saturday May 25 | 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. | Before 1 p.m., After 6 p.m. |
| Sunday May 26 | 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. | Before 1 p.m. |
| Monday May 27 | 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. | After 7 p.m. |
If you’re traveling by air, experts advise arriving early and being prepared for security checks. The Transportation Security Administration recommends arriving at least 90 minutes early for domestic travel and two hours for international travel.
The other thing that could hamper travel is the weather.
The Chicago area is at a “slight” risk of severe weather Friday as the system’s arrival time threatens to disrupt travel through airports and roadways.
According to the Storm Prediction Center, this “slight” risk covers the entire Chicago area and northwest Indiana, with all kinds of severe weather threats possible Friday.
If ground stops were made during storms, they could either hold planes at their departure points or prevent flights from leaving O’Hare and Midway in mid-to-late afternoon.
You can follow all the latest developments, live radar and more on the NBC Chicago app, as well as with the NBC 5 Storm team on TV and on our 24/7 streaming service.
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