Here are the best times to beat traffic during busy Memorial Day weekend travel

A record number of travelers — about 45.1 million, according to AAA — will make a getaway for Memorial Day weekend as the unofficial start to summer gets underway.

The lion’s share of those heading at least 50 miles from home will be driving, AAA said in its prediction, which estimates 39.4 million motorists will traverse the nation’s highways between Thursday and Monday.

In Minnesota, drivers will find gas hovering around $3 a gallon, down about 25 cents from a year ago at this time, AAA said. The gas-price-tracking website GasBuddy forecasts that the national average price of gasoline will be $3.08 per gallon on Memorial Day, making it the cheapest Memorial Day at the pump since 2021.

But any savings at the pump might be lost while sitting in traffic. Road construction threatens to tangle traffic in places such as on Interstate 94 in downtown Minneapolis, where lanes are narrowed across the Mississippi River, squeezing commuters and travelers into two lanes in each direction.

Road work on I-94 between Rogers and Monticello and farther north in Otter Tail County, Interstate 35 near Hinckley, Hwy. 169 near Princeton and Hwy. 10 near Wadena could also slow trips down.

Congestion could add time to the drive, too. Inrix, a traffic analytics company, says escaping east to Eau Claire, Wis., will take 59% longer than usual on Thursday due to heavy traffic. The company says the worst times to travel will be from 1-9 p.m. Thursday, noon-8 p.m. Friday, 2-6 p.m. Saturday and 4-7 p.m. Monday. The best times to drive and avoid traffic is before noon each day.

When including buses, trains and other modes of transportation, the projected 45.1 million travelers will be the most for the holiday weekend since 2005 when 44 million people took a trip, AAA said.

“Despite economic uncertainty and global challenges, travel remains a priority for Americans, with millions eager to make memories with a Memorial Day getaway,” said Debbie Haas, vice president of travel for AAA.

Airports will be busy, too, with 3.61 million leisure travelers hopping a flight to their destination, AAA said.

The Federal Aviation Administration said 54,000 flights were scheduled on Thursday and 51,500 more set to take off on Friday. The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen 18 million passengers and crew members between Wednesday and May 28.

“TSA is ready for the additional passenger volume, and we look forward to welcoming families traveling during this peak period,” said Ha Nguyen McNeill, TSA acting administrator. “As a friendly reminder, to ensure a smooth screening experience, bring acceptable forms of ID like your Real ID.”

This will be the first holiday that flyers will need a Real ID, passport or other approved form of federally approved identification. In Minnesota, an enhanced ID is acceptable.

Since the mandate went into effect May 7, 93% of travelers passing through security checkpoints have shown acceptable forms of identification, the TSA said.

At Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, international travelers starting Thursday will have new nonstop flights to Copenhagen, Denmark, and Rome on Delta. The new offerings give travelers the opportunity to fly nonstop to 35 international destinations from MSP, the Metropolitan Airports Commission said.

Weather should not pose any problems in the Twin Cities or most of Minnesota for the holiday weekend. Sunny to mostly sunny conditions are expected Thursday through Monday with highs in the 60s to around 70 degrees, the National Weather Service said.