Memorial Day travel surge expected at BTR
Baton Rouge Business Report • • business
Key Points:
- Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (BTR) anticipates over 14,000 passengers during the five-day Memorial Day travel period from May 22 to May 26, with 112 scheduled departures and outbound flights expected to be nearly 90% full.
- Travelers are advised to arrive early, especially during peak morning hours, and to check with airlines for updated flight information amid high travel demand.
- AAA forecasts a nationwide increase of about 200,000 travelers compared to last year, with 3.6 million people expected to fly over the Memorial Day weekend, marking the unofficial start of summer travel.
- Airlines for America projects U.S. airlines will carry 263 million passengers between June and August, indicating a busy summer travel season.
- BTR aims for a third consecutive year of record passenger traffic, having served approximately 847,000 passengers in 2025, surpassing the previous records set in 2024 and 2019.