Lots of people to hit the road for the July 4 holiday

VW independent staff/submitted information

AAA projects 72.2 million Americans, including 3.4 million Ohioans, will travel at least 50 miles from home for Independence Day between Saturday, June 27 and Sunday, July 5. This year’s domestic travel forecast surpasses last year’s record of 71.8 million travelers, but the increase is smaller than recent year-over-year gains. The number of travelers driving and flying to their destinations is relatively flat compared to last year, while travel by other modes, including cruises, is the category seeing the biggest increase. 

“For many Americans, traveling the week of July 4th is tradition,” said Stacey Barber, Vice President of AAA Travel. “The 9-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.” 

AAA projects 61.4 million people will travel by car over July 4 week, nearly the same number as last year when 61.3 million travelers took road trips. 85 percent of Americans traveling for Independence Day are expected to drive to their destinations, despite gas prices reaching four-year highs. 

Last year, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline was $3.15. This year, prices are higher but remain lower than 2022, when the national average was $4.80 on Independence Day. Despite higher gas prices, filling up the tank during a road trip is still cheaper than purchasing flights for many travelers, especially for families with kids.    

AAA projects 5.85 million travelers will take domestic flights over July 4 week, a 0.2 percent increase over last year. Air travelers make up eight percent of the share of holiday travelers.

Travel by other modes is seeing the biggest year-over-year growth compared to car and air travel. AAA projects 4.93 million Americans will take buses, trains, and cruises over Independence Day week, a 5.3 percent increase from last year. This year is also expected to surpass 2019’s figure of 4.79 million travelers, due in large part to the post-COVID cruising boom.