Summary: A modest recovery in travel has started in the U.S. with road trips. Arrivalist’s Daily Travel Index shows an overall strong return to road trip travel in the U.S. Over the Memorial Day weekend, leisure road trips returned to the levels seen in February 2020, though still well below comparable seasonal numbers from past years.
Bottom Line: For most U.S. travelers, road travel, especially to visit friends and family, feels most comfortable. Hence, this should be an early indicator of recovery. However, the further speed and strength of travel rebuilding over summer is still highly uncertain, determined by the trajectory of the COVID-19 crisis and if consumer and traveler confidence strengthens as a result of improving health news.