The American Automobile Association (AAA) forecasts that 72.2 million U.S. residents will undertake domestic trips of at least 50 miles from home during the July 4th holiday window from Saturday, June 27, through Sunday, July 5. This projection exceeds the prior year’s record of 71.8 million travelers, albeit with a more modest year-over-year increase than observed in recent periods.
“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.”
According to AAA projections, approximately 61.4 million individuals are anticipated to undertake automobile travel during the week surrounding July 4th, representing a marginal increase from the 61.3 million recorded in the prior year. Industry data indicates that 85% of domestic travelers for this holiday period will opt for road trips, notwithstanding elevated fuel costs at four-year highs. While the national average price per gallon of regular gasoline has risen above last year’s $3.15, current rates remain below the $4.80 peak observed in 2022. For many travelers, particularly families, the cost of refueling remains substantially more economical than airfare alternatives.
Hertz, AAA’s primary car rental partner, anticipates peak demand on Thursday, July 2, with Orlando, Denver, Boston, Los Angeles, and New York City emerging as the markets exhibiting the strongest advance bookings. Complementary AAA data reflects a 10% year-over-year increase in domestic rental rates for the holiday period.
July 4th Holiday Travel Period
The AAA July 4th holiday travel period encompasses a nine-day window incorporating two weekends, spanning Saturday, June 27, through Sunday, July 5, this year. Traditionally limited to a single weekend, the period was expanded beginning in 2024, with historical data recalculated from 2019 onward to reflect the updated nine-day framework.
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