Traveling for Memorial Day? Here’s what you need to know

Memorial Day weekend is here and many Southern Californians are planning to travel for the holiday.  

AAA expects 2.9 million people across SoCal to take a road trip of 50 miles or more away from home. Between increased vaccines, decreased COVID numbers, and just the general pent up demand to travel, they expect a significant surge in holiday traffic.

“The freeways all across Southern California will be more crowded especially between the hours of 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Friday as people who are heading out of town mix with the regular commuters heading home from work. And then also it’s important to keep in mind that Monday afternoon is typically a very heavy day on the road as well,” said Doug Shupe, a spokesperson for the Auto Club of Southern California.

AAA anticipates coming to the rescue of 115,000 stranded drivers over the next few days. They’re urging drivers to check their cars, tires, headlights, batteries and fluid levels ahead of any road trip. 

It’s also a good idea to check the COVID-19 restrictions at your destination or anywhere you’re going to stop along the way, as different states have different regulations at this point. 

While the majority will be traveling by car, AAA says more than 250,000 Southern Californians will be traveling by air -- that’s up 500% in comparison with last year’s Memorial Day travel during the pandemic. 

If you are traveling by plane, remember COVID-19 regulations are still in place: “We just want to make sure that everybody doesn’t forget about the safety protocols when it comes to COVID-19. Still pack your face masks and remember that face masks are still required in airports and on airplanes, train stations, trains and buses,” added Shupe. 

The executive director of the Palm Springs airport also advises passengers to arrive at the airport early due to increased travel throughout the weekend.