As Memorial Day approaches, millions are getting ready to hit the road. Here’s what Idahoans can expect for the long weekend.
At $3.32 a gallon, gas prices in Idaho have gone down $0.48 compared to this time last year. Matthew Conde, AAA’s Government and Public Affairs’ Director in Idaho, said this is the cheapest it has been since 2021, which might offset travelers’ other rising costs.
“Domestic flights are about 2% more expensive this Memorial Day weekend compared to last year. Hotel stays are up about 8% and cruises are up about 2%,” he said. “Domestic rental cars are probably one area where people may save a little on average, that booking will be about 8% cheaper than a year ago.”
Popular destinations for Idahoans are Las Vegas, Seattle and Anaheim, to visit Disneyland.
Conde said about 45 million Americans will be traveling for the holiday, or a million more than last year.
“That's a new record, including 274,000 Idahoans. And really, if you can avoid afternoon travel at all, that's the best route,” he advised, recommending travelers avoid leaving during regular commuting hours.
“It might be a little late to do the full meal deal as far as checking everything, but you can make sure your tire pressure looks good,” he added.
“We always use the acronym B.E.T.” he said. “Check your Battery, your Engine and your Tires before you go on one of these longer trips. Those are some of the common culprits.”
Conde said AAA expects to provide roadside assistance to about 700 Idahoans over the weekend, and estimates they’ll receive 360,000 requests nationwide.
