More Travelers Expected From Nebraska and Surrounding States This Memorial Day Weekend

LINCOLN–(KFOR May 26)–Drivers in Nebraska and surrounding states are hitting the road for the Memorial Day weekend, which usually marks the unofficial start to the summer travel season.

If you look at this year compared to last year, there may be 157,000 more people on the road this weekend, according to Triple A Nebraska’s Brian Ortner.

“When we’re looking at that year before the pandemic hit, we’re really, really close to seeing the travel numbers back to those levels of 2019,” Ortner told KFOR News. About 136,000 people are expected to fly out for the Memorial Day weekend, which is more than in 2022, but less than pre-pandemic numbers.

Gas prices in Nebraska are much better heading into this weekend, compared to what they were during Memorial Day weekend a year ago.  Ortner said the average price of unleaded fuel is $3.38 a gallon across Nebraska, where the average price during the same time in 2022 was $4.17.  The average price of fuel in the Lincoln area is between $3.42 to $3.45 a gallon, which is slightly above the state average as of Thursday.

“Gas prices are stuck in neutral for right now.  Demand is still there, supply is still there and the cost of crude oil is staying, where we’re in a great place,” Ortner added.  The price of crude oil is about $72 a barrel, down from $123 a barrel in 2022.