For the 36.6 million Americans traveling by automobile, INRIX, in collaboration with the American Automobile Association (AAA), predicts drivers will experience the greatest amount of congestion on Thursday, May 24 and Friday, May 25 – in the late afternoon as commuters leave work early and mix with holiday travelers. Several major U.S. metros could experience double the travel times compared to a normal trip, while New Yorkers could see three times the delay.
“Ranked the most congested country in the world, U.S. drivers are all too familiar with sitting in traffic,” said Graham Cookson, Chief Economist and Head of Research, INRIX. “Drivers should expect congestion across a greater number of days than in previous years, with the getaway period starting on Wednesday, May 23. Our advice to drivers is to avoid peak commute times in major cities altogether – traveling late morning or early afternoon – or plan alternative routes.”
Worst Days/Times to Travel:
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Worst Day for Travel: Thursday, May 24
- Worst Time for Travel: 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm
- Houston, Texas
- Worst Day for Travel: Thursday, May 24
- Worst Time for Travel: 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Worst Day for Travel: Thursday, May 24
- Worst Time for Travel: 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm
- Washington, DC
- Worst Day for Travel: Thursday, May 24
- Worst Time for Travel: 4:30 pm – 7:00 pm
- San Francisco, California
- Worst Day for Travel: Friday, May 25
- Worst Time for Travel: 3:00 pm – 5:30 pm
- Los Angeles, California
- Worst Day for Travel: Friday, May 25
- Worst Time for Travel: 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm
- New York, New York
- Worst Day for Travel: Friday, May 25
- Worst Time for Travel: 3:30 pm – 6:30 pm
- Detroit, Michigan
- Worst Day for Travel: Friday, May 25
- Worst Time for Travel: 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
- Chicago, Illinois
- Worst Day for Travel: Friday, May 25
- Worst Time for Travel: 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
- Seattle, Washington
- Worst Day for Travel: Friday, May 25
- Worst Time for Travel: 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm