Record Memorial Day travel expected despite high gas prices

Millions of Americans are expected to hit the roads, skies and rails this Memorial Day weekend despite high travel costs and the recent shutdown of Spirit Airlines.

(CNN)- Millions of Americans are expected to hit the roads, skies and rails this Memorial Day weekend despite high travel costs and the recent shutdown of Spirit Airlines.

“With the closure of Spirit, I’ve had to rebook all my flights that they canceled,” one former Spirit customer said.

The traveler said she has been forced to switch between multiple airlines to continue her trip.

“I’m flying like JetBlue, United, Delta, and my flight for today is for Frontier,” she said.

AAA predicts this year could set a record for Memorial Day travel.

Between Thursday, May 21 and Monday, May 25, the organization estimates 45 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home.

Of those travelers, roughly 39 million are expected to drive.

Drivers, however, are facing the highest gas prices in nearly four years.

According to AAA, the national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline reached $4.56 on Thursday.

GasBuddy projects the national average could still be around $4.48 per gallon on Memorial Day itself, which would mark the second-highest Memorial Day gas price on record.

Fuel prices are elevated nationwide.

AAA reports gas prices are now at or above four dollars per gallon in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. for the first time since 2022.