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Manufacturer image/Cars.com illustration by Paul Dolan
In a development that should surprise, well, nobody, this summer is going to be popping thanks to ever-increasing COVID-19 vaccination rates. Americans are ready to get the party started this Memorial Day weekend, with 62% planning to travel 50 miles or more over the holiday weekend, according to a Cars.com survey. That’s up some 20 percentage points versus a year ago.
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For 2021, a staggering 89% of survey respondents who planned to travel said they’d travel by car for Memorial Day; 12% said they planned to fly, 3% will board a train and 1% plan to take another form of transportation. Cars.com conducted the survey May 8-11, 2021, with 1,365 adult respondents nationwide.
Only 43% of the respondents said they traveled for Memorial Day weekend in 2020, with 52% saying they stayed home last year during the holiday and 5% who couldn’t remember what they did (we get it — it’s been a long pandemic).
The COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson have made travel safe — or at least safer — for Americans. Of our survey respondents, all age 18 and older, 41% said they were fully vaccinated, while 12% said they were between the two Moderna or Pfizer doses. (The Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires a single dose.) Another 15% said they had not yet received a COVID-19 vaccine but planned to get one before traveling. However, 21% reported they hadn’t been vaccinated and didn’t plan to get vaccinated before traveling. Another 9% said they weren’t going to get the vaccine but didn’t plan to travel, and 2% preferred not to answer the question.
With so many travelers grabbing their car keys this holiday weekend, we wanted to know if the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic impacted their decision to drive. Of those driving, 45% said they’re taking their car to avoid public transportation like planes or trains. Another 17% said they were driving to save money, and 38% said they always drive for Memorial Day weekend getaways.
Nearly 40% of respondents said they plan to start their vacation a little early with a departure on May 28. Of those planning a Friday escape, most indicated plans to get a move on that morning.
So what’s everyone doing on these trips? Visiting family tops the to-do list for 40% of respondents, and 29% say they’ll be staying with that family, too. The beach comes in second place, with 28% saying they’re ready to get some sand between their toes. In third place is hanging out with friends, at 24%.
Before packing the car, make sure to check in on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s latest guidance around traveling in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored-content departments.
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