4 Memorial Day Weekend Travel Tips

If you're hitting the road this weekend, you're not alone. This is expected to be the busiest travel weekend in over a year. Whether you're traveling by car, plane, train, or bus, here are 4 important tips to keep in mind.

If hitting the road, plan for increased traffic

As vaccinations have increased, so has travel, especially by road — and this weekend is expected to be the busiest of them all. According to AAA, it's estimated that more than 37 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more from their home. That's an increase of 60% over last year.

However, the silver lining is that road travel still won't be as busy as in 2019 — there were 6 million more road travelers then. If you are driving somewhere, plan to leave earlier, since some trips may take twice as long. Also, be cautious on the road too — more traffic means more chances of encountering other distracted or aggressive drivers.

If flying, expect increased crowds at security

This weekend, the TSA expects around 2 million passengers per day to pass through airport security. That's around 90% of 2019 levels — a sharp increase from last year. The CDC still requires masks be worn on planes (as well as trains, buses, and other public transportation for that matter).

It's expected this airport demand will be a strong indicator of summer travel rebounding. If you want to save time later this year at airports, now's a good time to enroll in TSA PreCheck if you haven't. You can pre-enroll in a few minutes on our app.

If traveling abroad, check latest vaccination requirements

It's a good idea to carry your proof of vaccination even if you're traveling within the US, since some cities and states, including New York, are considering so-called vaccine passports. Some gatherings are also requiring proof of vaccination.

Carrying proof of vaccination is especially important if you're traveling abroad. Countries continue to change rules around who they will let in to the country and under what circumstances. Chances are you've already checked, but if not, here's our country-by-country list of vaccine and testing requirements.

By the way, the State Department announced this week, if your passport happens to expire when you're abroad, you can return on an expired passport.

If booking an Airbnb, keep gatherings small

Airbnb announced earlier this week that it is continuing its ban on house parties through the end of the summer. The company started this policy last year when cases were spiking. The problem of unsanctioned parties has been around on Airbnb for a while, and this new policy has been popular among home owners.

For upcoming holidays, such as the 4th of July, Airbnb plans to prohibit guests who don't have a history of positive reviews from booking an entire house for one night. It's a good reminder to still keep gatherings small in general, and if you are having bigger gatherings, consider asking guests to have their proof of vaccination.

Want 2 more bonus tips?

Two more travel tips on saving gas and car expenses are posted exclusively our app — take a look and most importantly have a safe weekend ahead.

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