New Delhi, March 14 -- Your spring break travel could be unforgettable, in all the wrong ways.

A record number of travelers, hourslong waits to get through airport security checkpoints, and higher gasoline pump prices could create plenty of travel headaches.

"I can't remember a spring break like this since the pandemic. There's so much uncertainty," syndicated travel columnist Christopher Elliott told Barron's. "I've been telling readers of my email newsletter to do their homework before they leave, even if it's to a place they think they know, like Mexico."

Airlines for America projects that a record 171 million passengers will fly over the spring break travel period from March 1 through April 30. That's up 4% from 2025. A4A estimates...