Despite gas prices just beginning to come down from four-year highs, a record number of Americans are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home this Independence Day, according to AAA.
The automobile association released its annual forecast for the July 4 holiday, projecting 72.2 million Americans will make trips between June 27 and July 5. If the number holds, it will surpass last year’s record of 71.8 million travelers.
“For many Americans, traveling the week of July 4 is tradition,” AAA Travel Vice President Stacey Barber said. “The nine-day travel forecast includes travelers who are vacationing all week and people just getting away for the long holiday weekend. While the overall number of Independence Day travelers appears to be plateauing, we’re still expecting record volumes this year.”
According to AAA projections, 61.4 million people will travel by car during the week of Independence Day, almost identical to last year’s 61.3 million. Despite the gas prices still hovering around $4 a gallon nationwide, as well as nearly a dollar more than last year’s average, 85% of Americans who are traveling will do so by car.
Taking to the skies, AAA anticipates 5.85 million Americans will travel by air for domestic flights. The average price for a domestic flight nationwide during the week of July 4 is $830 per ticket.
The remaining 4.93 million projected travelers will do so by other means, such as trains, buses, and cruises, representing the largest increase among the three travel categories, up 5.3% from last year.
The top travel destinations in the U.S. are Seattle, Wash., Orlando, Fla., and Anchorage, Alaska, while the hottest international spots are Vancouver, Canada, Rome, Italy, and Dublin, Ireland.
