Skip Traffic, Take Flight Memorial Day

Traffic congestion on Memorial Day

Presented by Palace Resorts

New Take on Popular Travel Holiday

Ah Memorial Day. As spring gives way to the unofficial start to the summer travel season – with winter already a distant memory – Americans in record numbers were expected to pack their bags and families up (maybe even grandparents!) and load them all in the family station wagon for that perennial road trip.

But station wagons are a thing of the past. And with congestion choking roadways near urban centers, not to mention gas prices on an unwanted uptick, the old-fashioned family road trip on Memorial Day was not looking as fun as it once did.

Still, travel over the Memorial Day weekend was expected to be the busiest it has been in over a decade (the heaviest since 2005 according to Tripe A) and as it continues to be among the busiest travel holidays in the year, families were caught between the road and uncomfortable car seats. So what is a family to do?

Ditch them both and say hello to the airport.

Unlike other holidays that see airports and airplanes brimming with passengers – we’re talking to you Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years and Spring Break! – Memorial Day represents that rare air travel trifecta – good weather, good fares and no overcrowding.

While close to 40 million people will be traveling over the weekend, less than 3 million were expected to be traveling by airplane in the US. 


Memorial Day represents that rare air travel trifecta – good weather, good fares and no overcrowding.

Long Road Trip or Short Flight?

The prospect of a lengthy and costly road trip pales in comparison to a short flight to Mexico or the Caribbean, often at a discounted fare. Even better, once you get to your destination, resorts like Moon Palace Jamaica and Moon Palace Cancun offer significant savings and even  for luxury accommodations, with some travel websites listing average rates for such accommodations at about half their usual price.

According to U.S. News and World Report, May was the best time to travel to certain destinations in the Caribbean, including Jamaica and Cancun. The month comes between the prime travel season and the impending hurricane season in the Caribbean.

Over Memorial Day weekend, U.S. News and World Report says cheaper fares coincide with less crowded beaches, meaning you wouldn't have to battle Spring Break-like crowds on excursions, at restaurants, or just to lay on the beach. Now, maybe you can enjoy Memorial Day getting a tan and dipping your feet in a cool pool, instead of roasting on a congested highway.