With soaring fuel prices and a slumping economy, AAA says fewer Americans will be traveling over Memorial Day weekend for the first time in since 2002.

Nearly 38-million Americans will either be hitting the roads or the airports next weekend.

Because of the rising gas prices, Americans are planning to drive less this Memorial Day weekend than they did last year.

That's according to an AAA study released on May 15.

"That represents only a minor decrease of nearly 360,000 American travelers when compared to the 38.2 million who traveled the roads and hit the skies last Memorial Day a year ago," said Executive Vice President of AAA, Mark Brown.

AAA says despite the decrease, a significant number of people will still be traveling.

More than 12-percent of the U.S. population will be celebrating the Memorial Day weekend away from home.