GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Gerald R. Ford International Airport is gearing up for a busy Memorial Day weekend, with nearly 40,000 travelers expected to pass through its gates. This figure is just a fraction of the anticipated travel by Michiganders throughout the holiday weekend.
According to AAA spokesperson Adrienne Woodland, nearly 1.3 million Michigan residents plan to travel 50 miles or more away from home. This marks the second-highest travel volume recorded since AAA began tracking data in 2000 and represents an increase of about 37,000 travelers compared to last year.
On a national scale, travel is increasing across all modes of transportation. Woodland noted that AAA projects approximately 3.6 million Americans will fly to their destinations, an almost 2% rise over last year.
Additionally, about 39.4 million people are expected to hit the roads, setting a new record with one million more travelers than the previous year.
Lowell resident Tim Clements shared his thoughts while dropping his daughter off at the airport.
"I was a little concerned that people might be staying home more, just with different concerns at the moment, but I'm glad they're getting out, hopefully visiting friends and family," he said.
However, for some travelers like Carolyn Massey from Philadelphia, the busy weekend might require some patience.
"I'm flying home on Thursday. I think I have an afternoon flight, like three something, through O'Hare, Grand Rapids, to O'Hare and then back home. Yeah, so it'll be busy, right? Yeah, that's okay," Massey remarked.
As Memorial Day approaches, travelers are advised to plan ahead and anticipate busy airways and roadways during the holiday weekend.
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