The Memorial Day weekend travel season kicked off Thursday, with record numbers of Southern Californians expected to hit the road or hop on plane for holiday getaways. Experts urged people to plan ahead, expect crowds and be patient.
Los Angeles International Airport officials reminded travelers that passenger numbers and highway traffic will increase in the coming days and remain high for months to come.
Airport officials urged travelers to arrive at least two hours earlier than domestic flights, and three hours for international flights. Parking is also expected to be expensive, so travelers were urged to reserve a parking space here in advance.
“With school breaks, relaxed workdays and strong demand for travel to and from Los Angeles, we expect a busy summer,” said Doug Webster, interim chief operations and maintenance officer of Los Angeles World Airports, in a statement. “Our airport staff and airline partners are aware of the expected surge of travelers to the region and are ready and well-equipped to provide our guests with the best possible experience at LAX.”
According to the Automobile Club of Southern California, a record 3.5 million Southern California residents are expected to travel over Memorial Day weekend, surpassing last year’s levels and marking the second year in a row that this number has hit the record before the 2019 pandemic. .
“No matter which direction you go to San Diego, you’re going to have to deal with traffic and be bumper to bumper,” driver Lazaro Miraval said Thursday.
The top destinations for travelers from Southern California are expected to be cruises to Las Vegas, San Diego, the Grand Canyon, Hawaii and Seattle/Alaska.
