The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has announced that approximately 5.5 million travelers are expected to use its airports and vehicular crossings during the extended Memorial Day travel period from May 22 to May 26. The agency projects around 2.1 million passengers will pass through John F. Kennedy International, Newark Liberty International, LaGuardia, and New York-Stewart International airports over these days. This marks a slight decrease of about one percent compared to the same period in 2024.
International seat capacity is predicted to rise by one percent from last year, indicating ongoing interest in international travel. Friday and Monday are anticipated to be the busiest days at these airports.
The Port Authority advises all travelers to plan ahead and allocate additional time for their journeys due to increased passenger volume and construction activities. Travelers on domestic flights should arrive at least two hours before departure, while those on international flights should arrive three hours prior.
On the roads, an estimated 3.4 million vehicles will traverse the bridges and tunnels operated by the Port Authority over this holiday weekend, maintaining similar traffic levels as last year. Non-emergency construction work at vehicular crossings will be suspended from Friday morning until Tuesday morning to manage significant traffic volumes.
Travelers using Port Authority facilities should expect certain service changes between May 22 and May 26:
– At John F. Kennedy International Airport, ongoing redevelopment may cause delays or detours; mass transit options such as MTA subway or buses are recommended.
– TSA no longer accepts non-REAL ID state-issued identifications; alternative IDs can be found on the TSA website.
– Passengers traveling through Newark Liberty should check flight statuses beforehand.
For PATH services, trains on specific lines will operate every 20 minutes due to track work during parts of Saturday and Sunday, with additional service adjustments made for Memorial Day itself.
All travelers are encouraged to consider public transit when possible and plan for extra travel time throughout this busy period.
