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AAA Newsroom
\nAutomotive, Travel, and Traffic Safety Information
\nWASHINGTON, DC (June 20, 2024) \u2013 AAA projects 70.9 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from home over the Independence Day holiday travel period*. For the first time, AAA looked at the entire July 4<\/span>th<\/span> week, plus the Saturday before and the Sunday after the holiday. This year\u2019s projected number of travelers for that time period is a 5% increase compared to 2023 and an 8% increase over 2019.<\/span>
\n\u201cWith summer vacations in full swing and the flexibility of remote work, more Americans are taking extended trips around Independence Day,\u201d said Paula Twidale, Senior Vice President of AAA Travel. \u201cWe anticipate this July 4<\/span>th<\/span> week will be the busiest ever with an additional 5.7 million people traveling compared to 2019.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
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\nAAA projects a record 60.6 million people will travel by car over Independence Day week \u2013 that\u2019s an additional 2.8 million travelers compared to last year. This year\u2019s number also surpasses 2019 when 55.3 million people traveled by car over July 4<\/span>th<\/span> week. <\/span>AAA car rental partner <\/span>Hertz<\/span><\/a> says Dallas, Denver, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco are the cities displaying the highest rental demand during the holiday week. The busiest pick-up days are projected to be Friday, June 28, Saturday, June 29, and Wednesday, July 3.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
\nGas prices are lower than last year when the national average was $3.53. Pump prices will likely continue going down leading up to Independence Day.\u00a0 At that point, they will likely level off and remain relatively stable until after Labor Day, similar to last year.\u00a0 An important caveat is hurricane season \u2013 underway now \u2013 which could affect gas prices should a storm negatively impact Gulf Coast oil production and refining centers.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
\nThe number of air travelers is also expected to set a new record. AAA projects 5.74 million people will fly to their July 4<\/span>th<\/span> destinations. That\u2019s an increase of nearly 7% compared to last year and a 12% increase over 2019. AAA booking data shows domestic airfare is 2% cheaper this Independence Day week compared to last year, and the average price for a domestic roundtrip ticket is $800. Airports will be packed throughout the week. AAA recommends arriving 2 hours early, reserving <\/span>parking<\/span><\/a> ahead of time, and traveling with carry-on luggage versus checked bags to save time and money.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
\nMore than 4.6 million people are <\/span>expected to travel by other modes of transportation, including buses, cruises, and trains. This category is seeing an increase of 9% compared to last year, but this year\u2019s number is shy of 2019\u2019s figure of 4.79 million. Cruising continues its remarkable post-pandemic comeback. This time of year, Alaska cruises are in high demand, making Seattle and Anchorage top domestic destinations. Cruise travelers are also finding deals this summer. With new ships coming onto the market \u2013 and going for a premium \u2013 some cruise lines have been offering targeted discounts to fill older inventory for remaining cabins.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n