AAA says airports are busiest in nearly two decades due to Memorial Day travel

BALTIMORE -- Memorial Day weekend is well underway for many, with traffic building on highways and airport access roads.

Nationwide, TSA screened nearly 2.9 million passengers Thursday, nearly matching last year's record set the Sunday after Thanksgiving.  With the high travel volume, you'll need to allow extra time for your trip.

Ragina Cooper of AAA Mid-Atlantic said airports are the busiest they've been in 19 years.

AAA forecasts nearly 44 million people will travel 50 miles or more across the U.S. this holiday weekend, including nearly a million Marylanders. These projections would exceed pre-pandemic numbers.

For those on the roads, gas prices in Maryland are up 18 cents a gallon over last year.

Additional Transportation Authority officers will be deployed at the Bay Bridge, where police urge drivers to stay alert.

Impact of Key Bridge Collapse

The Key Bridge collapse will push more drivers to the tunnels and the north side of the Beltway. Meanwhile, volume will return to the cruise terminal, as Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruises are set to return to port.

This comes days after the Dali was refloated and removed from the Key Bridge wreckage.