Crowded airport, busy roads and windy weather: Here’s your Sacramento Memorial Day outlook

Memorial Day on Monday has graced some of us with a three-day weekend, which means more people will be hitting the road, getting out of town or looking for local fun.

For those heading out for Memorial Day in Sacramento, here’s what to know:

Flying out of Sacramento

If you’re flying out of Sacramento International Airport, expect a crowd.

More than 100,000 people are anticipated to pass through SMF this holiday weekend, with a lot of travelers heading to Hawaii, Southern California and Las Vegas. Nationwide, about 2.39 million people are forecasted to fly — a 5.4% jump from 2019.

• READ MORE: How many people will fly out of Sacramento airport for Memorial Day? Get ready for crowds

With more people at the airport, you might be wondering: Should I fight for parking at SMF or take an Uber?

Not to mention, ride-share companies like Uber and Lyft are known for increasing prices during high demand.

The Bee’s Jacqueline Pinedo broke down the cost of parking at SMF and taking a ride-share service.

• READ MORE: Is it better to park or ride-share to Sacramento International Airport? Here’s the breakdown

It’s technically a “long weekend,” but let’s be honest, three days is not enough. And any delays at the airport will just dampen the time you have left to relax and unwind.

You can avoid delays by seeing which airlines are typically on time. Spoiler: United Airlines is one of the top companies that’s usually on time.

• READ MORE: These major airlines are less likely to have delays out of Sacramento International Airport

To speed up your time at the airport, you might want to consider using Clear or TSA PreCheck.

• READ MORE: TSA PreCheck or Clear? Here’s the difference — and what they cost

Going for a drive

The roads will also look busier this weekend.

About 5 million Californians are expected to be traveling by car this holiday so there might be more traffic than usual.

You can make sure you spend less time on the streets by avoiding prime traffic hours.

• READ MORE: These are the best (and worst) times to drive in California on Memorial Day weekend

If you’re driving around Northern California, Interstate 80 is a peak congestion area for the region this weekend.

Be sure you have a full tank and make sure you’re driving safely. The California Highway Patrol will be operating a maximum enforcement period.

• READ MORE: Memorial Day weekend travel outlook: Here’s what you can expect on California roads

The weather outlook

It’s going to be a sunny and bright weekend — if you’re staying in the Sacramento area.

Forecasts for the capital city show highs in the 80s, sunny skies and breezy winds.

If you’re going to the Sierra, expect some thunderstorms. And if you’re spending time in the Bay Area, there’ll be grey skies.

• READ MORE: Northern California to see rain, chill and wind Memorial Day weekend — depending where you go

Memorial Day events

You can avoid airport crowds, traffic and gloomy weather by staying in town.

Sacramento’s hosting a several events this Memorial Day weekend, including a Concerts in the Park on Friday and a Memorial Day Family Fun Fest.

• READ MORE: Here are fun, safe, family-friendly events planned in Sacramento for Memorial Day weekend

The Sacramento County Fair also returned to Cal Expo and will run until Monday.

• READ MORE: Sacramento County Fair returns to Cal Expo this week. Here’s what a $10 ticket gets you

This story was originally published May 26, 2023 at 11:03 AM.