NEW YORK — AAA predicts an even stronger travel year this year compared to last year and it all starts with Memorial Day weekend.
The long weekend and warmer temperatures are an incentive for many travelers to hit the roads and skies for a getaway, as many did on Friday.
AAA says the number of people traveling this year will exceed pre-pandemic numbers — over 1 million more than 2019, and that includes fliers.
“I think we are still fulfilling that backlog of trips people put off during the pandemic for a couple years. Big travel year last year, even stronger this year, starting travel season off with a bang,” AAA’s Alec Slatky said.
And here is something travelers may not all know or realize — according to AAA, New York City is the third most popular domestic destination to travel to this weekend.
Experts say if you want to beat the traffic when you’re coming back to town, the best time to travel is after 7 p.m.
Calm before the travel storm on Friday afternoon
There weren’t too many long lines or delayed flights at the major international airports in and around New York City on Friday.
CBS New York went to John F. Kennedy International Airport, where things didn’t look too bad.
Many air travelers and Transportation Security Administration workers said it all depends on where you’re flying to and what time of day you’re traveling.
“It’s one day extra off work,” Andrea Palmisano said as she and her family waited for their flight to Italy. “I think because so many people are traveling, one of the legs of our flight got canceled. They changed the time of the flight.”
Janice Wilson and her family were headed to the beaches of Jamaica.
“Leave early but it still takes a while to get here, even if you leave early,” Wilson said.
Tricia Archer and her loved ones were going to Guyana.
“Today is my mom’s birthday, so I’m going to surprise her. She doesn’t know I’m coming,” Archer said.
Holiday weekend travel advice
Besides leaving home early for the highways or the airport, travelers had other tips.
“You just have to be patient and take a deep breath,” Palmisano said.
They also said to remember that no liquids can be carried on planes and bags have to have the right amount of weight.