WICHITA, Kan. (KAKE) - Travel by highway and air is expected to break records this Memorial Day weekend.

Forty-four million people in the U.S. are expected to drive or fly for the unofficial start of summer.

Travelers like Alex Cygan have already made it to their destination, including some here in Wichita. He is getting a head start on his memorial day weekend, traveling to Wichita from the Kansas City area. While not a long drive, Cygan made sure his car was ready to go for the trip.

"Got an oil change before we came, checked tires and all that kind of stuff, got a balance rotation," Cygan said. "Just to make sure the tires are good."

That's exactly what AAA says anyone looking to travel by car this upcoming weekend should do to avoid any unexpected costs on the trip.

More than 423,000 Kansans are expected to hit the road for this weekend, a more than 3% increase from last year.

Spokesperson Shawn Steward said that there are other ways to save money on the trip.

"Try to reduce any excess weight in the vehicle," Steward said. "If you have things in your trunk or your tailgate, or if you have a luggage rack that you're not using, if you can remove those things that can help reduce weight and drag, which can lower your gas mileage."

However, gas price trends may already be giving you a little breathing room before you hit the road.

"We're at an average of about $3.13 a gallon here in the Sunflower State. That's almost 50 cents less than the national average, and about 12 cents cheaper than where we were a year ago this time. And if we look at it in terms of overall perspective, nationwide, we're fourth lowest in the country."

Steward said that some of the top domestic destinations for Memorial Day weekend in the U.S. include Orlando, Florida, and Denver, Colorado.