AAA predicts higher gas, cheaper rental cars and packed airports for long weekend

More than 2 million Illinoisans will take a jaunt over the Memorial Day weekend, the most since 2005, AAA forecasts.

It’s the “busiest Memorial Day holiday weekend in nearly two decades,” AAA’s Debbie Haas said in a statement. “The main driver of the projection is strong consumer interest in traveling both domestically and abroad.”

Sadly, there’s no break in fuel prices expected this year with a gallon of regular gas averaging $4.11 in the Chicago metro region Tuesday compared to $4.21 in 2023, according to AAA.

Volatility at the fuel pump is likely to continue for the next few months, AAA spokeswoman Molly Hart advised.

“The wild card remains the cost of oil, and, unlike last year, there are now two wars — in the Middle East and Ukraine — that could roil the oil market,” she said.

Deals await, however, in Wisconsin and Michigan where a gallon of regular averages $3.38 and $3.54, respectively.

Here are some other travel facts for the unofficial kickoff of summer.

• With hordes taking a road trip Thursday and Friday, savvy drivers should try to escape before 11 a.m., experts advise. The heaviest traffic is expected between noon and 6 p.m. Thursday and noon and 7 p.m. Friday.

Sunday and Monday afternoons are the worst times to drive home, traffic analyst INRIX said. For example, heading from Milwaukee to Chicago at 4:30 p.m. could take two hours and 25 minutes.

• After years of scorching rental car rates, companies are easing costs a bit with fees 17% lower than in 2023.

• Head to the airport in plenty of time, AAA recommends. Over 3.5 million Americans will grab a flight over the holiday, the most passengers since 2005.

Statewide, 2,087,124 Illinoisans will hit the road and airports over the holiday compared to 2,015,292 in 2023. The highest tally was in 2005 with over 2.2 million, AAA said.