High levels of congestion expected across Tampa Bay roads amid holiday weekend

TAMPA BAY, Fla. (Tampa Bay Now) - Nearly 2.4 million Floridians are expected to embark on journeys of at least 50 miles according to AAA. That number surpasses last year's by 172,000 and exceeds pre-pandemic levels in 2019 by 96,000 travelers.

This year's travel trends show an increase in both auto and air travel. 208,000 people are expected to fly, which is up by 25,000 from last Memorial Day. Drivers are expected to reach 2.1 million across the state.

Despite various inflationary pressures, consumer spending remains strong and demand for travel has surged in Florida, painting a promising picture for the tourism industry.

While the state of Florida is set to reach record-high travel numbers, national figures are slightly below pre-pandemic levels. An estimated 42.3 million Americans are expected to travel this weekend. Although this number is higher than last year's, it falls short of the figures reported in 2019.

Despite higher ticket prices, the demand for flights is soaring. The silver lining for road travelers is that gas prices have decreased in recent weeks, providing some relief at the pumps. Experts say it's too early to know if that downward trend on fuel will continue in the lead-up to the summer kick-off – but it's unlikely that prices will come anywhere near the state average that holiday travelers paid last year of four fifty seven per gallon.