FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A AAA spokesperson said the company is expecting Memorial Day weekend to be its busiest travel weekend in the last 20 years.
“We're expecting roughly 44 million people to travel nationwide. Specifically, in California, we expect roughly 5.6 million people to travel,” said AAA's Julian Paredes.
This weekend, people from across the country, state and Central Valley will flock to highways, train stations and airports to get out of town for Memorial Day.
In the Valley, Fresno Yosemite International Airport is scheduled to have the TSA screen more than 25,000 travelers through Tuesday, with many of those travelers likely to be seen passing through the airport on Friday, its busiest day.
One person we spoke to was heading to Las Vegas for the weekend and offered advice for others who are struggling with the large crowds and long lines.
“It may be stressful, but try to stay positive because if you stay negative, it's going to ruin not only yourself but everyone else,” said Emma Porras, who traveled from Selma.
While many people are choosing to fly, AAA says most people will hop in their cars to get to their destinations instead.
“All modes of transportation are increasing, but longer road trips are clearly the preferred mode of travel for Memorial Day, with over 85 percent of people travelling by car,” Paredes said.
Whether traveling by car, plane, bus, train or anything in between, AAA urges travelers to always allow extra time to deal with traffic jams and long security lines.
“If you're flying, a general rule of thumb is to arrive two hours before your flight. You might want to plan for up to three hours. And if you're traveling by car, leave early. You can. For the rest of the week, it's best to avoid the hours between 12 and 5 p.m., because it gets really busy,” Paredes said.
