Memorial Day Outlook 2024

Summary

• Memorial Day will be busier this year, with more than a million more seats expected to depart from US airports over the long weekend. Among those Hopper users traveling for Memorial Day Weekend, 43% say they plan to fly over the long weekend.

• Great news for summer travelers, airfare for Memorial Day weekend is averaging $260 per ticket, down 9.5% from last year and 2019 levels. Prices will spike more than $40 per week in the next two weeks ahead of the long weekend. 

• Hotel stays over Memorial Day weekend are averaging $212 per night this year, slightly higher than average prices for summer. Of those traveling for Memorial Day Weekend, 56% of Hopper users say they plan to stay in a hotel over the long weekend.

• Car rentals for Memorial Day weekend are averaging $43 per day, in line with prices over the long weekend last year. Americans are renting for longer than last year, with most rentals averaging 5 days in length, compared to 4 days in 2023. 

Outlook

Get ready for a busier than ever Memorial Day weekend! Of those traveling for Memorial Day Weekend, 43% say they plan to fly for the long weekend. Over 20 million seats are scheduled to depart from US airports between the Thursday before and the Tuesday following Memorial Day weekend, a 6.6% increase from last year. Nearly 1 million seats have been added on domestic routes, and nearly 300K on international routes this year compared to 2023. Atlanta is set to see more than 1 million seats depart over the long weekend, the busiest airport based on scheduled departures in the US. Dallas Fort-Worth, Denver and Chicago O’Hare rank just behind Atlanta in terms of expected passenger traffic. 

Airfare

Great news for summer travelers, airfare for Memorial Day weekend is averaging $260 per ticket, down 9.5% from last year and 2019 levels. Travelers looking to save on airfare are departing on Saturday of the long weekend and returning on Tuesday for around $180 per ticket. These travelers will save 32% off peak airfare (for Friday to Monday trips), or about $90 per ticket. If you haven’t booked a flight for Memorial Day weekend yet, book now! Prices will spike more than $40 per week in the next two weeks ahead of the long weekend. 

International trips are also looking less expensive to many major regions of the world including the Caribbean, Europe and Asia. Prices are lowest for regional flights to Canada or the Antilles in the Caribbean, averaging around $400 per ticket. Travelers looking further afield and headed transatlantic to Europe this Memorial Day weekend are seeing prices around $974 per ticket, down 2% from this time last year but still significantly higher than in 2019. 

Travelers staying in the US this Memorial Day weekend are headed to major cities like New York, Las Vegas and Miami for their long weekends. Those headed abroad are taking long haul flights to Europe or Asia, hitting cosmopolitan cities like London, Tokyo, Paris and Rome. 

Accommodations

Hotel stays over Memorial Day weekend are averaging $212 per night this year, slightly higher than average prices for summer. Stays from Friday to Monday of the long weekend are most popular, with Saturday the most expensive night to stay. Prices on Saturday are averaging 36% higher than non weekend nights. Travelers looking to score a deal, plan to check in on Sunday and stay until Tuesday for the lowest rates. Of those traveling for Memorial Day Weekend, 56% say they plan to stay in a hotel.

Car Rentals

Car rentals for Memorial Day weekend are averaging $43 per day, in line with prices over the long weekend last year. Americans are renting for longer than last year, with most rentals averaging 5 days in length, compared to 4 days in 2023. 

Last-Minute Deals Still Available to Book for MDW:

• Boston, Massachusetts to Charleston, South Carolina for as low as $72 round-trip on Hopper

• Boston, Massachusetts to San Juan, Puerto Rico for as low as $236 round-trip on Hopper

• Boston, Massachusetts to Reykjavik, Iceland for as low as $561  round-trip on Hopper

• Chicago, Illinois to Denver, Colorado for as low as $80 round-trip on Hopper

• Chicago, Illinois to Saint Thomas Island, United States Virgin Islands for as low as $278 round-trip on Hopper

• Dallas, Texas to Miami, Florida for as low as $99 round-trip on Hopper

• Los Angeles, California to Salt Lake City, Utah for as low as $70 round-trip on Hopper

• Los Angeles, California to Nassau, The Bahamas for as low as $370 round-trip on Hopper

• New York City, New York to Nashville, Tennessee for as low as $93 round-trip on Hopper

• New York City, New York to Saint Thomas Island, United States Virgin Islands for as low as $230 round-trip on Hopper

• New York City, New York to Dublin, Ireland for as low as $540 round-trip on Hopper

• New York City, New York to London, United Kingdom for as low as $629 round-trip on Hopper

MDW Travel Tips

• Check big cities for last-minute hotel deals: Hotels in big cities will typically lower prices as check in approaches and they are looking to fill empty rooms. Booking in the last 12-48 hours before check in can usually save travelers significantly on a weekend or weekday stay. Book a last-minute getaway or staycation and save more. Pro tip: if you’re local to the area, you may be eligible for special geo-fenced rates available to local guests.

• Take advantage of re-booking services: The last thing you want is for your trip to be derailed by delays and cancellations. For busy holiday weekends this summer, we recommend adding a re-booking service like Disruption Assistance offered on Hopper and other travel providers. When booking with this service, you can rebook your flight instantly, if you are delayed, canceled or you miss a connecting flight. 

• Take the first flight of the day: In general, flights departing after 9am are 2X more likely to be delayed than departures scheduled between 5-8am. To avoid travel disruption, fly as early in the morning as possible.

• Build in a buffer day: Don’t leave it to chance! Particularly for holiday weekends, it's always better to be safe by baking in an extra day to get to your destination. This way you’ll have some wiggle room, should any delays or disruptions interfere with your travel plans.