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Memorial Day is typically the starting point of a busy summer travel season on the roads, through the air and beyond.
AAA Club Alliance numbers released this week show that virtually the same number of Connecticut residents are planning traveling 50 miles or more for the holiday weekend as did in 2025, despite a recent spike in gas and jet fuel prices.
Gas prices in the state are significantly higher than Memorial Day weekend in 2025, and though the impact on the number of travelers for Memorial Day appears to be minimal, there could be greater impact for residents looking to travel as the summer goes on.
“Impacts from the Iran conflict and ripple effects across the petroleum industry have driven crude oil prices up and pushed gas prices to four-year highs,” according to the AAA Club Alliance. Drivers in Connecticut are paying about $4.64 per gallon, which is over $1.50 more than one year ago.
“People are still going to be on the move,” AAA Club Alliance spokesperson Tracy Noble said. “How that’s going to shake out the rest of the summer, it’s hard to say because we know a lot of times people do book flights three to six months in advance. Have they now decided to stay closer to home for a larger family vacation? Once school’s out, that’s entirely possible. But we don’t know how that’s all going to play out just yet.”
AAA Club Alliance estimates more than 483,000 Connecticut residents are expected to travel at least 50 miles for Memorial Day weekend, and more than two million travelers are expected to travel at least 50 miles across New England.
The Connecticut number is up by 1,900 travelers this year, which represents a 0.2% increase. The New England number is also up 0.2% percent from last year. According to the AAA Club Alliance report, “Economic uncertainty and concerns over increased costs, including fuel prices, ahead of the holiday weekend have resulted in a marginal increase for the forecast this year.”
“The current situation is not going to keep people home this holiday weekend,” Noble said. “They are going to be out there. They are going to be enjoying themselves. And not surprisingly. The majority of those are going to be driving to their destination because that is still the most cost-effective way to move a family.”
AAA Club Alliance projects 91% of Connecticut travelers will be traveling on roads.
About 40,500 people are expected to fly to their destinations this holiday, which is down 0.2% compared to 2025. The number accounts for 8.4% of overall Connecticut travelers in the state. In New England, 167,000 people will be flying to their destination, which is a 0.2% decrease.
Noble noted that air travel numbers also remained virtually unchanged from 2025 because flights were booked early before the rise in prices.
“There’s been a significant spike in the cost of air travel,” Noble said. “The good news for those that are flying for Memorial Day, if you planned ahead and booked early, then you possibly saved some money and got your fares cheaper than what you would have a year ago. If you were waiting till the last minute, unfortunately, those last-minute deals that we have been accustomed to seeing over the years are likely not available.”
Noble said for future booking this summer there are ways to save money. She said to be flexible with travel dates and keep checking for rate changes. She added that some airlines will make a price adjustment if a ticket dramatically drops after purchase.
“You have to be willing to do the homework, read the fine print and know what you’re purchasing going in. And if you are planning a large family vacation that is going to be a significant cost, the best way to plan is to use a travel advisor because they are going to know all of the ins and outs. They’re going to be able to help you every step of the way. And in times like these, you definitely need travel insurance,” Noble said.
Noble said it’s hard to predict what the gas prices will be throughout the summer and its impacts for leisure or just day-to-day life.
“This is a four-year high for gas prices,” Noble said. “It’s not welcome to anyone. We know that this is hitting everybody in their wallet because they do not discriminate. Everyone has to get to and from work to their destinations. Will this be sustained for the long term? We don’t know. We need to remember that this is not a supply or demand problem, this is a price problem. Until the conflict is resolved and the Strait of Hormuz is reopened, we’re going to see these elevated prices.”
Noble said these prices are not unpresented, noting that about four years ago gas prices were around $5 a gallon.
“We have seen this before. People will start changing their behaviors,” Noble said. “They will look to carpool. They will look to plan their local routes more efficiently so they’re not wasting fuel. People working remotely will opt for that instead of a long commute. They will cut corners other ways. Entertainment and dining out, those are the things that are usually curtailed first, which unfortunately does not bode well for those industries.”
Michael Shea, executive director and chief executive officer for the Connecticut Airport Authority, said the summer is always a busy time at Bradley International Airport, and he added that 2026 will be business as usual this summer.
“We anticipate numbers roughly the same as the summer of 2025,” Shea said. “Last June through August, Bradley welcomed over 1.8 million passengers. Memorial Day is always a busy week, and if we look at that week alone, you’re looking at 150,000 passengers.”
Shea said the rising jet fuel costs are having some airlines evaluating their route network, but he expects a normal summer at Bradley International Airport.
“The current geopolitical landscape has certainly put upward pressure on jet fuel prices and higher jet fuel prices may have some airlines evaluating their route network across the country, especially for ultra-low-cost carriers and longer haul routes. But we do expect a normal summer here at Bradley in 2026. A lot of those trips have already been booked. I think we all hope that those fuel prices come down in the near future.”
Even if jet fuel prices remain high, Shea noted that “the industry is resilient.”
“I think passengers will always travel, but they’ll be price concerns for sure, and, again, we hope that going forward that fuel prices come down,” Shea said.
Dr. Jan Jones, University of New Haven associate professor of practice and the coordinator of the school’s tourism and hospitality program, said residents are still traveling to their destinations, but once they are there, they are likely to stay put to use less gas. She also noted that unpredictability with some airlines has left some travelers concerned.
“Airlines are being impacted by the gas increases and shortages. People are likely very nervous about plans that they’ve already made because some of the flights have been canceled. And just in terms of dealing with sort of everything that’s going on, I feel like it’s not even just the gas prices, it’s the unpredictability and sort of travel, by flight, by airlines. That’s probably making people nervous,” Jones said.
Jones said people want to travel and a third of the country are still willing to put expenses on their credit cards and take a trip. She said coming out of COVID, people never know what can happen in life and plan a trip and go.
Jones added that if gas prices reach a certain level, people may change their minds about long road trips. She said the rise in prices is bad timing because so many people wait for the summer to travel.
“Throughout the summer, if things haven’t already been planned. I think there’s going to be a lot of discussion about. ‘Do we go? Do we go somewhere closer?’ You might see people taking trips, but they might just decide to stay closer to home so they don’t have to spend as much on gas.”
With Memorial Day travel expected to be on par with last year, Jones said people expecting to travel around the July 4 holiday will be watching if gas and fuel prices come down or will continue to rise.
“If it continues to go up, yes, people are absolutely going to start canceling plans,” Jones said. “But right now, I don’t think people are going to make that decision to cancel. I think they’re going to wait till it gets closer hoping that the prices start to come down. That’s the general sense that I get is that people see that it’s going up, but they’re hopeful it’s not going to last throughout the whole summer. So I don’t see people really changing those plans yet for July.
“People are getting hit in all directions. It’s not just gas prices. Food prices have gone up. Travel prices for every different industry have also gone up, some more than others,” she added.
In anticipation of busy roads this weekend, the Connecticut Department of Transportation is halting construction and maintenance on limited-access highways from 6 a.m. on Friday to 6 a.m. Tuesday. Only emergency work will be considered.
CTDOT spokesperson Eva Zymaris urged safety on the roads this weekend with the Click It or Ticket Campaign. She said impaired driving accounts for approximately 35% to 40% of fatalities annually in Connecticut.
As of May 10, there were 64 deaths on Connecticut roads in 2026. The number is down from this point in 2025 (78), 2024 (108), 2023 (103) and 2022 (107).
“The numbers are lower, but we always say one fatality on Connecticut’s roadways is far too many,” Zymaris said. “I also remind everyone that these are not just numbers. Those numbers represent lives, people who are lost. Families, friends that are forever impacted by that loss. … That’s why it is so critical, so unbelievably critical, that we all do our part to bring that number down. Because we know that slowing down, ditching distractions, buckling up, driving sober. All of these things that we can do will and can save lives.”
During Memorial Day weekend in 2025, the Connecticut State Police had 5,070 calls to service. Troopers made 1,347 traffic stops and provided 382 traffic services including debris removal, assisting with disabled or hazardous motor vehicles. There were 36 DUIs, 271 motor vehicle crashes, 26 with injuries, two with serious injuries and two fatalities.
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