US Summer Travel Season Starts with a Record: What Should Hungarian Travelers to the USA Expect?

The Memorial Day weekend in the United States has once again shown that the summer travel season begins with very strong demand: according to AAA forecasts, approximately 45 million Americans traveled at least 50 miles from home during the long weekend between May 21 and 25, while San Francisco Airport reported a historic traffic peak. For Hungarian travelers, this does not mean that the USA should be avoided, but rather that for the summer of 2026, it is worth planning with more buffer time, more conscious transfers, and pre-booked ground services.

Memorial Day is the informal opening of summer in the United States. At this time, families, domestic vacationers, city visitors, sports and event tourists, as well as those using the long weekend for family visits, set out simultaneously. The 2026 data is important for European, including Hungarian, travelers because the weekend often foreshadows the capacity pressure that can be expected during the peak season from June to August.

According to AAA's preliminary estimates, this year's Memorial Day period set a new record in total US travel volume. The organization counted 45 million travelers, of whom 39.1 million traveled by car and 3.66 million by domestic flights. At first glance, this seems primarily like US domestic news, but its impact is felt by international passengers as well: major airports use the same terminals, security checks, entry points, car rental counters, and hotel capacities as those arriving from abroad.

San Francisco Already Reported a Concrete Record

The strongest recent signal came from San Francisco. According to the San Francisco International Airport, in the period between Thursday, May 21 and Monday, May 25, it served nearly 798 thousand passengers, which exceeded the previous Memorial Day record by 2.6 percent and was 3.2 percent above 2019 levels. The busiest day was May 21, with more than 177 thousand passengers.

This is particularly interesting from the perspective of the Hungarian market, because San Francisco is not a classic mass vacation destination for Hungarian travelers, but rather part of longer, more expensive, often multi-stop trips. Those flying from Budapest to California typically arrive via a European or US East Coast transfer. If West Coast airports are breaking records as early as the end of May during peak times, then the risk of delays, longer queues, and higher accommodation prices may be greater in the July and August period.

Those preparing for San Francisco should look at flight searches based on the entire route, not just the first attractive price. For flights between Budapest and San Francisco, for example, transfer time is particularly important: a too-short US domestic connection during the summer peak can easily become an uncomfortable risk. After arrival, a San Francisco airport transfer or a pre-booked car may be more practical than deciding at the terminal while tired.

New York and East Coast Transfers Will Not Be Easy Either

Strong traffic was also expected on the East Coast. The Port Authority, which manages the major transportation hubs of the New York and New Jersey area, expected approximately 5.6 million travelers at its airports and road crossings during the Memorial Day period, including more than 2.1 million airport passengers. This is significant for Hungarian travelers because New York remains one of the most important US entry points, whether as a final destination or as a transfer hub.

At New York airports, the biggest question is not just how long it takes to get through passport control. Equally important are baggage claim, terminal changes, re-checking in for domestic flights, and ground transportation. If someone continues their journey from Budapest via New York to Florida, California, or another US city, it is worth choosing a longer transfer in the summer season, especially if the ticket is not part of a single booking.

Hungarian travelers heading to New York can find a useful starting point in the Budapest–New York JFK route or the Budapest–Newark flight search. When choosing between the two airports, not only the price matters: the location of the accommodation, the direction of further travel, terminal connections, and ground transfer time also influence which arrival point will be more convenient.

Why Does US Domestic Traffic Matter to Foreign Passengers?

Many Hungarian travelers tend to think that US domestic holidays only affect locals. In practice, however, the operation of major US airports is a unified system: if millions fly within the country, it increases the load on security checks, gates, baggage handling, catering outlets, and ground services. International arrivals go through a separate passport control, but afterwards they often encounter the same crowded domestic channels.

This is especially true for routes where a Hungarian traveler transfers to another US flight in a major US city. If, for example, someone flies further west via New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, or Atlanta, US domestic peak traffic can affect the rhythm of the entire trip starting from the first entry point. A delay in itself is not necessarily a problem if the ticket is combined and the transfer is well-planned. The risk increases if the passenger chooses separate tickets, a short connection, or a non-modifiable program for that evening.

Prices May Also Be More Sensitive During Peak Periods

Another lesson from the Memorial Day weekend is that demand remains strong even when travel costs increase. According to AP on-site reports, higher fuel prices and more expensive services encouraged more US travelers to take shorter or closer trips, but this did not break the overall desire to travel. From a Hungarian perspective, this means that budget-friendly accommodations, car rentals, and internal US flights may sell out faster, especially around weekends, national parks, coastal cities, and major events.

In the case of Los Angeles and San Francisco, accommodation and car rental are often not supplementary details, but one of the main elements of the trip budget. Those planning a West Coast route involving several cities should book not only the flight ticket in time, but also the ground logistics. Along with searching for Budapest–Los Angeles flights, it is advisable to check the arrival time, the opening hours of the car rental counter, insurance terms, and the cost of parking at the accommodation.

How Should One Plan a USA Trip Now?

The most important advice for the US summer of 2026 is to choose the itinerary based on a route that is not just ideal on paper, but comfortable in practice. A cheaper ticket with two short transfers can easily become more expensive if the trip must be replanned due to a delay, baggage problem, or missed connection. Distances in the United States are vast, domestic flights are heavily loaded, and ground transfers between airports in many cities are time-consuming.

• After international arrival, try to leave at least 3 hours for a domestic connection, and more at the busier airports.
• If the journey continues on a separate ticket, plan a night in the first US entry city.
• When renting a car, check the one-way drop-off fee, as this can be a significant item for longer US road trips.
• When arriving in a big city, decide in advance whether a taxi, transfer, city transport, or rental car will be the best solution.
• Expect higher airport and road traffic around national holidays, Friday afternoons, and Sunday evenings.

Not Panic News, But a Planning Signal

Record traffic in itself is good news for US tourism: it shows that demand is strong, airports handle large volumes, and city visits, family trips, beach vacations, and West Coast road trips remain popular. However, Hungarian travelers must see the practical details behind the records. Those who book in time, choose realistic transfer times, and do not search for transfers or accommodation at the last minute, can still organize their US summer well.

The recent Memorial Day data therefore does not suggest that the United States would be too crowded a destination. Rather, it suggests that in the summer of 2026, flexibility and advance planning are worth more than ever when traveling to the USA. New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco remain strong destinations, but alongside the flight price, the entire travel chain must be looked at: transfer, entry, baggage, ground transportation, accommodation, and local programs together determine how comfortable the trip will be.

As sources, the article used the AAA 2026 Memorial Day travel forecast, the San Francisco International Airport traffic announcement of May 27, 2026, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey holiday travel advisory, and the recent AP US travel report.