US Expects Flights to Jump on Memorial Day Weekend, Near Pre-COVID Levels

An American Airlines plane takes off from Miami International Airport after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it had slowed the volume of airplane traffic over Florida due to an air traffic computer issue in Miami on Jan. 2, 2023. Marco Bello/Reuters

WASHINGTON—U.S. aviation regulators are forecasting nearly 313,000 flights over the seven-day Memorial Day holiday period, up 4.5 percent from 2022 and just below 2019 pre-pandemic levels.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the traditional seven-day kickoff to the busy U.S. summer travel season will surpass the 299,500 flights flown in the same period in 2022 but will not match the 321,000 flights in the same period in 2019.