What’s open and closed on Memorial Day as Americans gear up for record travel

Memorial Day, which had traditionally been observed on May 30 to honor America’s fallen service members, officially became a federal holiday in 1971 and is now held on the last Monday in May.

Over the years, it has also become one of the busiest weekends for retail sales and travel across the United States.

Here’s a look at what’s open and closed for Memorial Day 2025:

Government servicesAll government offices, including post offices, courts, and public schools, will be closed for the holiday.Banks and financial marketsUS stock markets and most banks will be closed on Monday.FedEx and UPS will not offer regular pickup and delivery services, although some specialized services may still be available, according to an AP report.Retail storesMost major retailers will remain open, many offering Memorial Day sales to attract shoppers. Warehouse club Costco will be closed. Store hours may vary depending on location.Travel outlookMemorial Day also marks the unofficial start of the summer travel season. This year, Americans are expected to hit the road and skies in record numbers despite economic concerns and recent disruptions in the travel sector.

AAA forecasts that more than 45 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home between Thursday and Monday — 1.4 million more than last year — setting a new Memorial Day travel record. The previous record of 44 million domestic travellers was set two decades ago.Drivers will likely pay less for fuel than last year. According to AAA’s fuel tracker, the national average for a gallon of regular gas was $3.18 on Wednesday, down from $3.60 at the same time last year.An estimated 39.4 million people are expected to travel by car, the highest number recorded for Memorial Day since AAA began tracking in 2000. Air travel is also up slightly, with 3.61 million expected to fly — nearly 2% more than the 3.55 million who travelled by air last year.Traveller confidence in air safety has been shaken by a number of recent incidents, including a deadly mid-air collision in January between a passenger jet and a US Army helicopter over Washington, D.C., which killed 67 people. There have also been multiple close calls in US airspace.Further concerns have been raised by ongoing flight delays and cancellations due to an air traffic controller shortage and equipment problems at a key facility handling traffic in and out of Newark, New Jersey.