Travel Estimates Increase For Memorial Day; 36 million on Roads

More Americans are Expected to Travel This Memorial Day

After a rough winter, businesses and consumers alike are expecting a better summer than in years past because more people have cabin fever. According to AAA, the automotive travel club "a total of 36.1 million people to travel 50 miles or more. If that estimate holds true, it would be the largest amount of people traveling during the holiday weekend since 2005." That means that more businesses than ever will be expecting travelers, vacationers and more to hit their stores. So whether your pizza shop will get more highway traffic or your boutique hotel will get more action, its great to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

A few key notes about the study:

• Of the total travelers, 31.8 million are expected to drive, up 1.3 percent from 31.4 million last year. 
• Gas prices are expected to be lower than last year's average of $3.63, thanks to rising supplies.
• Airports will be busier, with 2.6 million people expected to fly this year, up 2.4 percent from last year. 
• 1.7 million people will take a cruise, train or bus, a 6.5 percent jump from a year ago.
• Hotel rooms are likely to cost $3 more a night from last year, at an average of $169 per night. 
• The average cost of a round-trip plane ticket is $227, up from $215 a year ago. 
• Car rentals will average $44 a day during the weekend, up 1 percent from a year ago.