4th of July travel likely to shatter records: What to expect
The Fourth of July holiday is fast approaching -- and it's going to be a busy one.
A record high of 72.2 million people are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home over the July Fourth holiday period (from June 28 to July 6), according to AAA. This is 1.7 million more people than last year and 7 million more than in 2019, according to AAA.
Here's what you need to know before you to head to the airport or hit the highway:
Air travel
AAA anticipates a record 5.84 million passengers will fly domestically over the holiday -- a 1.4% jump from last year.
Domestic airfare is averaging $260 round trip -- the lowest price in four years, according to Hopper. International airfare is down, as well, with round trip tickets to Europe averaging $840.
The Transportation Security Administration said Sunday, June 22, was its busiest day ever, with nearly 3.1 million travelers screened.
The TSA said Sunday, July 6, will be the busiest day over its holiday period (from Tuesday, July 1 through Monday, July 7).
Thursday, July 3, will be the busiest day to leave for the holiday, according to Hopper and Expedia. Tuesday, July 8, will be the least busy and most affordable day to fly home, Expedia found.
United Airlines said it projects Friday, June 27, and Thursday, July 3, to be its busiest days with about 580,000 passengers each day.
Expedia said its most popular destinations are Las Vegas; New York City; Miami; Orlando, Florida; and Cancun, Mexico. Los Angeles and Seattle are also top cities, according to Hopper.
Road travel
This year is expected to be the busiest Independence Day ever on the roads. AAA projects 61.6 million people will travel by car -- a 2.2% increase from last year.
But good news for drivers: Summer gas prices are the lowest they’ve been since 2021, according to AAA.
