Travel numbers rise as Americans hit the road
NEW YORK: Americans hit the road in near-record numbers at the start of the Memorial Day weekend, as their eagerness to break free from Covid-19 confinement overcame higher prices for flights, gasoline and hotels.
More than 1.8 million people went through US airports on Thursday, and the daily number was expected to cross two million at least once over the long holiday weekend, which would be the highest mark since early March 2020.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas warned people to expect long lines at airports and appealed for travellers to be patient.
The rise in travel appears to be fuelled by an increase in Covid-19 vaccinations as well as an improving economy.
The US Commerce Department said consumer spending increased in April showing how consumers are driving a recovery from last year’s pandemic recession.
At Miami International Airport, officials expected crowds equal to pre-pandemic levels.
It was a similar story in Orlando, where airport traffic has reached 90% of 2019 levels as tourists flocked to theme parks that have recently loosened restrictions.
Along the Florida coasts and around Orlando, many hotels were booked solid through the weekend.
“We’re going into off-season, and it has not slowed down,” said Cathy Balestriere, general manager of Crane’s Beach House, a boutique hotel in Delray Beach, Florida.
Vacation spots like Las Vegas, Hawaii and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, were among the top destinations, according to AAA.
Paula Twidale, a spokesperson for the auto club and insurer, said the pickup in travel began in April, as more Americans got vaccinated and the weather improved.
“People are just excited to get out,” she said.