Nearly 71 Million People Expected to Travel During July 4th Week

AAA projects 70.9 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from home during the Independence Day holiday travel period from June 29 to July 7. For the first time, AAA looked at the entire July 4th week, plus the Saturday before and the Sunday after the holiday. This year’s projected number of travelers for that time period represents a 5% increase compared to 2023 and an 8% increase over 2019.

“Summer vacations are in full swing, and with the flexibility of remote work, more Americans are taking extended trips around Independence Day,” said Mark Schieldrop, Senior Spokesperson. “We anticipate this July 4th week will be the busiest ever with an additional 5.7 million people traveling compared to 2019.”

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Modes of Travel

AAA projects a record 60.6 million people will travel by car over Independence Day week – an additional 2.8 million travelers compared to last year. This year’s number surpasses 2019 when 55.3 million people traveled by car. AAA’s car rental partner Hertz said the busiest pickup days are projected to be Friday and Saturday, June 28 and 29, and Wednesday, July 3.

The number of air travelers is also expected to set a new record. AAA projects 5.74 million people will fly to their July 4th destinations. That’s an increase of nearly 7% compared to last year and a 12% increase over 2019. With airports expected to be packed throughout the week, AAA recommends arriving two hours before your flight, reserving parking ahead of time and traveling with carry-on luggage rather than checked bags to save time and money.

More than 4.6 million people are expected to travel by other modes of transportation, including buses, cruise ships and trains. This category is seeing an increase of 9% compared to last year, but this year’s number is shy of 2019’s figure of 4.79 million.

When to Go

The worst times to travel by car on the days leading up to and including July 4th are between 2 and 7 p.m., according to transportation data and insights provider INRIX.

“Drivers in large metro areas can expect the worst traffic delays on Wednesday, July 3rd, as they leave town, and Sunday, July 7th, as they return,” said Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX. “Road trips over the holiday week could take up to 67% longer than normal. Travelers should monitor 511 services, local news stations, and traffic apps for up-to-the-minute road conditions.” 

Plan your summer vacation and more with the help of a knowledgeable AAA travel advisor.

How are you celebrating the 4th of July? Will you be traveling anywhere special? Let us know in the comments below.