Gas Prices, Airfare Skyrocket Ahead of Memorial Day Weekend

(KNSI) — Minnesotans hitting the road for the Memorial Day travel weekend will likely see a hit to their wallets.

Rising prices are not deterring travel’s resurgence this Memorial Day weekend. Travel volumes are expected to reach 92% of pre-pandemic levels in 2019. AAA says Memorial Day travel is expected to increase 8.3% over 2021. Car travel is expected to increase 4.6% over 2021. The statewide average for the price of a gallon of regular unleaded is hovering around $4.23. If you’re heading to the north shore this holiday weekend, drivers in Cook, Lake, and St. Louis Counties are paying between $4.26 and 4.34 for a gallon of regular unleaded. Drivers in Beltrami, Clearwater, and Hubbard Counties are also paying around $4.29 a gallon. The statewide average last year at this time was about $2.84.

If you’re among the more than three million people who will take to the friendly skies this holiday weekend, air travel prices are more than $160 per ticket than last year. Delta Airlines also says it will “strategically decrease” its flight schedule this summer, even as travel demand reaches pre-pandemic levels.

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