Nearly 45 million people are expected to travel for Memorial Day weekend, setting up what could be a record-breaking start to the summer travel season.

AAA says about 40 million Americans will travel by car, making road trips the most popular option again this year.

More than 3.5 million travelers are expected to fly. Airfares are down about 6% for people who booked early.

The busiest traffic of the holiday weekend is expected Thursday and Friday afternoons.

Gas prices could affect travel plans for some families in New Jersey. The average price for a gallon of regular gas in the state is $4.52, up well over $1 compared with the same time last year.

"So far we've seen no curb in the amount of driving that's happening out on the roads drivers are still buying gasoline at rates that are even higher than this time last year when gasoline was probably a dollar and a half cheaper," said Robert Sinclair, of AAA.

President Donald Trump announced he will suspend the federal gas tax to help address high prices.