(NEXSTAR) – With Memorial Day and the unofficial start of summer behind us, travelers across the country are busy planning their vacations, despite skyrocketing gas prices and exorbitant flight prices.
So what US summer travel attractions are pandemic-weary Americans looking for in 2022?
National parks and theme parks dominate the top five, according to Google:
1. Yellowstone National Park
2. Glacier National Park
3. Disney World
4. Lake Tahoe
5. Hershey Park
Holiday weekend trips bring crowds, delays
If Memorial Day weekend itself was any sign of what’s to come in the summer of 2022, travel insurance might be worth considering.
US airlines canceled more than 2,800 flights from Thursday to Monday, or about 2% of their schedules, according to tracking service FlightAware.
Delta Air Lines, generally among the top performers, had the worst record among major carriers with more than 800 flights canceled in a five-day period.
“It was a chance for the airlines to show that the delays of last summer would not be repeated this summer, and yet it was not to be,” said Helane Becker, analyst for banking firm Cowen. . She blamed the disruptions on bad weather, air traffic control delays, airline crew members calling in sick and long security lines at some airports.
“We are expecting a busy summer and are concerned about the industry’s ability to handle demand,” Becker said.
Various forecasts of a high number of travelers over the weekend proved to be correct. The Transportation Security Administration reported screening more than 11 million people at airport checkpoints Thursday through Monday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
