It would seem only logical that surging fuel prices would change the calculus for travel this Memorial Day weekend. Surely, one would think, spikes in air fare or $6-a-gallon gas will encourage people to stay home.
But, apparently, logic is in short supply for anyone hell-bent to get to Disneyland. Or Monterey. Or Tahoe. This may in fact be another record year, according to numbers from Doug Yakel, spokesperson for San Francisco International Airport. He anticipates more than 620,000 air travelers at the facility from Friday through Monday, a 2.5% increase over last Memorial Day.
Across the bay, nearly 100,000 passengers will take off or land at Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport, marking a slight dip from 113,000 in 2025. Airport staff remain upbeat, assuring their hub will remain busy over the next four days. Flight schedules in Oakland suggest that some travelers may be skipping short flights in favor of driving. For a family of four, the math is simple: a car trip costs the same whether one person or four are inside, whereas flying requires four separate tickets…