Augusta, GA

Record Memorial Day travel, cheap gas expected across U.S., Georgia

Published

10 months ago

May 20, 2025

Record Memorial Day travel, cheap gas expected across U.S., Georgia

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The two-state region is getting ready for expected record-breaking travel this coming Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of summer.

AAA predicts a record 1.38 million Georgians will travel at least 50 miles from home over the Memorial Day period. That’s an increase of nearly 45,000 compared to last year.

AAA expects more than 45.1 million nationwide to travel for Memorial Day weekend. That’s 1.4 million more domestic travelers than last year. It’s also a new Memorial Day weekend record, surpassing the previous record set back in 2005 with 44 million people.

Georgia numbers	2025	2024	2019
Total travelers	1.38 million	1.34 million	1.30 million
Automobile	1.23 million	1.19 million	1.16 million
Airplane	120,000+	117,000+	104,000+
Other modes	28,000+	27,000+	33,000+

By car

AAA projects 39.4 million people will travel by car over Memorial Day weekend. That’s 1 million more travelers than last year. This year, 87% of Memorial Day travelers will take a road trip.

Fortunately, a trip to the gas pump should be lower than last year.

Gas is set to be the cheapest it’s been in years as nearly 40 million Americans are expected to hit the road for Memorial Day.

The national average price of a gallon of gas is expected to be $3.08 on Memorial Day, according to projections released Tuesday by Gas Buddy. That’s the lowest price at this time of year since 2021.

If you consider inflation, it’s the cheapest gas has been since 2003, excluding the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Tuesday, gas in Georgia was running $2.92 per gallon, or $2.90 in Augusta. The price in South Carolina was $2.80 per gallon, or $2.82 in Aiken and Edgefield counties.

Drivers can still find ways to save even more at the pump.

Start by peeking at current prices on the AAA fuel site and using the AAA gas cost calculator to get an idea of the cost of your road trip.
Once you hit the road, remember that the gas stations right off the interstate are usually the most expensive. If you want to save money, drive farther down the road for cheaper gas. AAA members receive stackable discounts on gas through the Fuel Rewards® program at participating Shell stations.
After you fill up, avoid speeding. Fuel economy peaks around 50 mph on most cars, then drops off as speeds increase. Reducing highway speeds by 5 to 10 mph can increase fuel economy by as much as 14%.

By air

Airports are bracing for another bustling holiday weekend. AAA projects 3.61 million air passengers, a nearly 2% increase over last year when 3.55 million travelers took to the skies.

While this Memorial Day weekend isn’t expected to set an air travel record, officials do expect to set one at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world’s busiest.

Officials say they expect 2.6 million travelers to pass through the airport for the Memorial Day period this year.

According to AAA booking data (based on what travelers paid when booking Memorial Day weekend flights):

Domestic flights are 2% more expensive than last year, with the average round-trip ticket costing $850.
Most of those flights are to popular destinations like Chicago, New York, Orlando, Denver, and Seattle.

By other modes

Travel by other modes continues to rise steadily post-pandemic.

AAA projects 2.08 million people will travel by train, bus, or cruise over Memorial Day weekend, an 8.5% increase over last year. This category now surpasses pre-pandemic numbers from 2018 and 2019, but it doesn’t reach the record numbers of the early 2000s, when more people chose trains and buses after 9/11.

Cruising’s growing popularity is highlighted by the strong demand for Alaska cruises this season. Top domestic cruise destinations for Memorial Day weekend include Fairbanks, Anchorage and Juneau. Overall, travelers are turning to cruises in record numbers. Earlier this year, AAA projected a record 19 million Americans planned to take cruises in 2025.

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Augusta, GA

Jefferson County library director named Georgia Library Director of the Year

Published

8 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Jefferson County library director named Georgia Library Director of the Year

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Georgia Library Director of the Year was honored at a ceremony in Jefferson County.

Christina Shepherd received the award and a county proclamation. Jefferson County officials also honored the library board during the ceremony.

“I’m very thankful. I think it’s great for Jefferson County to have this award brought here and bringing light to us,” Shepherd said. “I don’t think I do anything extraordinary that any librarian wouldn’t do, but I just keep doing it. I appreciate it. I’m thankful.”

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Augusta, GA

CSRA Habitat for Humanity gets $1.85M to build affordable housing in Augusta

Published

20 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

CSRA Habitat for Humanity gets .85M to build affordable housing in Augusta

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Augusta/CSRA Habitat for Humanity has been awarded $1.85 million to build new affordable homes in Augusta’s historic Turpin Hill neighborhood.

The federal funding was secured with the support of Georgia’s U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock.

The funding will expand housing opportunities for working families and revitalize one of Augusta’s oldest communities.

“Turpin Hill is one of Augusta’s oldest and most storied neighborhoods, a community built by generations of hardworking families whose roots run deep in this city,” said Bernadette Kelliher, President and CEO of Augusta/CSRA Habitat for Humanity.

“These new homes will reflect the strength of the neighborhood’s past while creating a foundation for families to build their futures. This is about restoration, dignity, and ensuring that the next generation can write their own chapter in this historic community.”

This federal investment strengthens ongoing efforts to expand affordable housing opportunities across Augusta.

“Georgia families urgently need more affordable housing. That’s why Senator Reverend Warnock and I brought Republicans and Democrats together to strengthen the Augusta/CSRA Habitat for Humanity’s efforts to build new housing units for families across Augusta and the CSRA,” said Ossoff.

Senator Raphael Warnock added, “This investment demonstrates what is possible when Congress works together to support communities and families in need. We are in a housing crisis. America is not building enough housing and costs are continuing to soar.”

Since its founding in 1986, Augusta/CSRA Habitat for Humanity has partnered with families, volunteers and community supporters to build and preserve homes throughout the Central Savannah River Area.

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Augusta, GA

More Augusta homes available for Masters week rentals as homeowners rush to prepare

Published

1 day ago

March 25, 2026

Press Room

More Augusta homes available for Masters week rentals as homeowners rush to prepare

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – More homes are available for rent during Masters week this year compared to last year, with some homeowners scrambling to prepare their properties in the final weeks before the tournament.

Some homeowners have been preparing for months, while others are trying to complete renovations in the remaining weeks before the tournament.

Julia Quick, a homeowner, said her family has been working on improvements every night. Her husband handles repairs and projects, while she packs a room each evening after work. The family hired Carolina Carpentry and Construction to paint the house and brought in cleaners this week as a trial run for next week.

“We’ve got some landscapers come in Saturday, got pallets of sod and pine straw and mulch to be put out and some new plants,” Quick said.

More homeowners enter rental market

Quick said more people are renting their homes this year compared to last year.

“Everybody I talked to was talking about renting their house this year, and last year, most everybody was talking about not renting their house. So it seems that it’s more saturated,” Quick said.

Stacey Greenway, vice president of tournament housing, said she has never seen this many homes registering this late in the season.

“I definitely think that with Helene remodeling everything, it gave a lot of homeowners the opportunity to get into the rental market,” Greenway said.

Greenway said the number of homes registering has increased. In March, three to five homes typically register per week. Now three to five homes are registering daily.

“A lot of people are still not rented, so they’re starting to reach out to other agencies and list with those as well,” Greenway said.

Homeowners adjusting strategies

Some homeowners are lowering prices, booking vacations to leave Augusta or leaving keys with rental companies in hopes their properties will be rented while they are gone.

Quick said she has noticed less traffic on rental platforms.

“I noticed a lot less traffic because like with Airbnb when I went through there, I can see and have some conversations back and forth,” Quick said.

Quick said the increased supply could benefit visitors but may affect future rental decisions for homeowners.

“It’ll be great for people coming into town because that’s going to drive the price down. Might make it not as lucrative for us to rent our house out in the future because if I can’t, first we have to pay for the vacation and doing all the things because I’m not going to rent the house if it doesn’t look perfect for somebody to come stay in,” Quick said.

Rental companies said some homeowners are willing to accept lower prices this year and hope for better rates next year.

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