May 23 – The Albuquerque International Sunport will carry a city’s worth of passengers this weekend.
Officials expect 90,000 passengers Friday through Monday — 16,000 to 20,000 per day. That would represent a 4.5% increase from last Memorial Day weekend and an 18% increase from 2022, said Diana Lopez, a public information officer for the Sunport.
She said Sunport’s parking lots have been full in recent days, and she suggested travelers should take extra time to park and get through security.
Meanwhile, those hitting the road are also likely to experience crowds, with record numbers of travelers expected.
Gas prices are down from last year’s Memorial Day weekend.
In New Mexico, the average price of regular unleaded fuel on Thursday was $3.28 per gallon, down 8 cents from last week’s average and 23 cents from the same day last year. Nationally, the average price of gasoline was $3.61 per gallon, according to AAA New Mexico Weekend Gas Watch.
New Mexico drivers in Farmington paid $3.31 per gallon, which was the most expensive in the state. Drivers in Albuquerque paid $3.28.
The demand for gas has increased in the past week. The Energy Information Administration reported that the weekly increase was from 8.87 million barrels per day to 9.3 million barrels per day.
According to AAA, demand could cause gas prices to fluctuate this weekend.
3.5 million Mountain Region residents are expected to travel for Memorial Day, including a record number of drivers.
“3.1 million Mountain Region residents are preparing for a road trip this weekend, setting a new regional record for Memorial Day travel volume,” AAA spokesman Daniel Armbruster said in a news release. “Gas prices may fluctuate during the holiday weekend.”
