Getting stuck in traffic is becoming part of the Memorial Day experience for many Americans.
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While the three-day holiday is a much-needed chance to unwind with friends and families (preferably lakeside with a beer in hand and a barbecue grill nearby), traffic jams can shave hours off your downtime. They’ll also do a number on your sanity… even if you make every effort to leave as early as possible.
According to AAA, the country’s most popular roadside assistance non-profit, a whopping 45 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home this year for the holiday. That’s just a smidge above 2025’s record of 44.8 million travelers. Of that number, AAA anticipates that around 39 million will travel by car.
Here’s what we know about the best and worst times to drive over Memorial Day weekend, according to AAA.
Best & worst times to drive over Memorial Day weekend, according to AAA
Here are the best and worst times to drive over each day of Memorial Day Weekend, starting with Thursday and ending on Monday.
- Thursday, May 21
- Worst time to drive: 12pm – 9pm
- Best time to drive: Before noon or after 9 pm
- Friday, May 22
- Worst time to drive: 11 am – 8 pm
- Best time to drive: Before 11 am
- Saturday, May 23
- Worst time to drive: 12 pm – 5 pm
- Best time to drive: Before 11 am
- Sunday, May 24
- Worst time to drive: Little traffic expected
- Best time to drive: Little traffic expected
- Monday, May 25
- Worst time to drive: 12 pm – 5 pm
- Best time to drive: Before 10 am
If you’re looking for specific information on bad traffic based on the metro area, AAA offers a great deep dive in their full study. Go down to the section titled ‘Peak Congestion by Metro’ for routes, congestion periods, and times.
