WASHINGTON, DC—A record 72.2 million Americans are projected to travel at least 50 miles from home for the Independence Day holiday period, from Saturday, June 28, to Sunday, July 6, according to a new forecast from AAA.

The projection marks an increase of 1.7 million travelers compared to last year and 7 million more than in 2019, reflecting a robust demand for summer getaways. This year’s forecast encompasses two full weekends, providing a broader view of holiday travel patterns.

“Summertime is one of the busiest travel seasons of the year, and July 4th is one of the most popular times to get away,” said Stacey Barber, Vice President of AAA Travel. “Following Memorial Day’s record forecast, AAA is seeing strong demand for road trips and air travel over Independence Day week. With the holiday falling on a Friday, travelers have the option of making it a long weekend or taking the entire week to make memories with family and friends.”

Road trips are expected to dominate, with AAA projecting 61.6 million people will travel by car, a 2.2% increase over last year and the highest volume on record. Drivers should prepare their vehicles with routine maintenance and pack an emergency kit, as AAA responded to nearly 700,000 roadside assistance calls during last year’s July 4th week for issues like dead batteries and flat tires.

While gas prices have seen recent increases, summer costs remain the lowest since 2021, primarily due to crude oil prices. However, the Israel-Iran conflict and the Atlantic hurricane season, predicted to be above-normal by NOAA, could influence prices, especially if storms disrupt Gulf Coast oil refineries.

For those renting vehicles, Hertz, a AAA partner, anticipates Thursday, July 3, will be the busiest day for pickups. Popular rental destinations include Orlando, Denver, Boston, Oahu and Seattle, with SUVs and midsize sedans being the most sought-after vehicle types.

Air travel is also set to hit a new record, with 5.84 million travelers expected to fly, representing 8% of all Independence Day travelers. This is a 1.4% increase over the previous record set last year. Domestic roundtrip flights are averaging $810, up 4% from last year, with AAA suggesting Tuesdays or Wednesdays for better last-minute deals.

Travel by other modes, including bus, train, and cruise, is projected to increase by 7.4% over last year, reaching 4.78 million people, just shy of the 2019 record. Cruising, particularly the Alaska season, is a significant driver of this growth.

INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, expects Wednesday, July 2 and Sunday, July 6 to be the busiest days on the road. Afternoon hours will be the most congested. Drivers should hit the road in the morning to avoid the worst traffic, but keep in mind construction, crashes, or severe weather could impact travel times. Watch for stopped vehicles and Slow Down, Move Over for emergency responders.

Please note that the times listed below are for the time zone in which the metro is located. For example, Atlanta routes = ET and Los Angeles routes = PT.

Photo by Taras Makarenko from Pexels

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