Memorial Day weekend: Here's the best time to travel to avoid traffic

The Memorial Day weekend travel period was underway Friday, with record numbers of Southern Californians expected to hit the roads or airways for holiday getaways, and authorities urged people to plan ahead, expect crowds and be patient.

Memorial Day traditionally marks the beginning of the summer travel season, and Los Angeles International Airport officials reminded travelers that passenger numbers and vehicular traffic will be rising over the next few days and remain high for the next few months.

According to the Automobile Club of Southern California, a record 3.5 million Southern California residents are expected to travel over the Memorial Day weekend, besting the level from last year and marking the second straight year the number has exceeded the pre-pandemic record set in 2019.

The 3.5 million travelers marks a 4.7% increase over last year's record number, and 4.2% above the 2019 figure, according to the Auto Club, with the holiday traveling period officially beginning Thursday.

Best time to travel by car

Of the 3.5 million anticipated travelers, 2.9 million are likely to travel by car across California.

INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, predicts the best times to travel by car are:

• Thursday & Friday before 11 a.m. or after 8 p.m.
• Sunday before 1 p.m.
• Monday after 7 p.m.

Busiest freeway

I-5 North from Los Angeles to Bakersfield: During the afternoon and evening hours of Thursday May 23, the travel time will increase by 84% over the normal 90 minutes to nearly three hours, according to INRIX.

What to expect from air travelers

This Memorial day weekend, 371,000 people are expected to fly.

“With school breaks, relaxed workdays, and a strong demand for travel to and from Los Angeles, we expect a busy summer,'' Doug Webster, interim chief operations and maintenance officer for Los Angeles World Airports, said in a statement. “Our airport staff and airline partners are aware of the projected wave of travelers to the region, and are ready and well-equipped to provide our guests with the best possible experience at LAX.''

Airport officials urged travelers to arrive at least two hours ahead of domestic flights, and three hours for international flights. Parking is also expected to be at a premium, so travelers were urged to consider booking spaces in advance at parking.flylax.com.

Where are Southern Californians going?

1)     Las Vegas

2)     San Diego

3)     Grand Canyon

4)     Hawaii

5)     Seattle/Alaska cruises

The top national destinations are Orlando, New York, Las Vegas, Seattle, and Anaheim/Los Angeles.