Record travel expected for the Fourth of July. Here’s how to beat the holiday traffic
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Fourth of July travel expected to set new records, AAA predicts – NBC Los Angeles
More than 72 million Americans are expected to travel domestically for Independence Day this year, AAA projected on Friday. AAA predicts 61.6 million people will travel by car. Orlando tops the list of U.S. destinations for the Fourth of July, while Vancouver is No. 1 among cities Americans will visit overseas. Summer gas prices are the lowest they’ve been since 2021, but AAA says the Israel-Iran conflict in the Middle East, as well as weather, could impact how much travelers have to spend at the pump. The best and worst times to travel are Saturday, June 28, and Sunday, July 6, according to AAA, with the best travel time between 12-5 p.m. and 2-6 p.M.
More than 72 million Americans are expected to travel domestically for Independence Day this year, AAA projected on Friday. The number counts people who are expected to go at least 50 miles away from home between Saturday, June 28, and Sunday, July 6.
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AAA’s projection of 72.2 million travelers is an increase of 1.7 million people from 2024 and 7 million more than the last pre-pandemic Fourth of July in 2019.
After forecasting record travel for Memorial Day, AAA projects the trend to continue for the next seasonal holiday.
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“Summertime is one of the busiest travel seasons of the year, and July 4th is one of the most popular times to get away,” Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, said. “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.”
AAA projects 61.6 million people will travel by car. Summer gas prices are the lowest they’ve been since 2021, but AAA says the Israel-Iran conflict in the Middle East, as well as weather, could impact how much travelers have to spend at the pump.
When it comes to other modes of transportation, AAA predicts 5.84 million people will fly and 4.78 million people will travel by bus, train or cruise for the Fourth of July.
Best and worst times to travel for the Fourth of July
Here’s a breakdown of the best times to travel by car for the Fourth of July holiday period, according to AAA:
Date Worst travel time Best travel time Saturday, June 28 12-5 p.m. Before 10 a.m. Sunday, June 29 2-4 p.m. Before 11 a.m. Monday, June 30 2-6 p.m. Before 12 p.m. Tuesday, July 1 3-6 p.m. Before 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 2 12-9 p.m. Before 12 p.m. Thursday, July 3 2-6 p.m. Before 12 p.m. Friday, July 4 12-7 p.m. Before 12 p.m. Saturday, July 5 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Before 11 a.m. Sunday, July 6 12-6 p.m. Before 11 a.m.
Top Fourth of July travel destinations
Orlando tops the list of U.S. destinations for the Fourth of July, while Vancouver is No. 1 among cities Americans will visit overseas, according to AAA:
Domestic International/Caribbean Orlando, Florida Vancouver, Canada Seattle, Washington Rome, Italy New York, New York Paris, France Anchorage, Alaska London, England Fort Lauderdale, Florida Barcelona, Spain Honolulu, Hawaii Dublin, Ireland Denver, Colorado Amsterdam, Netherlands Miami, Florida Calgary, Canada Boston, Massachusetts Athens, Greece Atlanta, Georgia Lisbon, Portugal
Starting May 7, all U.S. travelers will be required to show a Real ID to board domestic flights or access certain federal facilities.