AAA projects Independence Day travelers will set new records both nationwide and in Florida. More than 70.9 million people around the U.S. are expected to travel 50 miles or more away from home. Nearly 4.5 million of those will be Floridians.
“The summer travel season is off to a hot start and we expect to set new travel records on the road and in the sky during the week of Independence Day,” said Debbie Haas, Vice President of Travel for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “There will be 3.5 million more travelers than last year. That means even more people at airports and popular attractions like beaches, lakes, and theme parks.”
AAA’s Independence Day travel forecast measures domestic trips of 50 miles or more during a 9-day period from Saturday, June 29 to Sunday, July 7.
Despite concerns about inflation, total travel is increasing on growth in consumer confidence, wages, and continued strength in consumer spending.
Florida Independence Day |
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Total | Auto | Air | Other | |
2024 (Forecast) | 4.5 million | 3.9 million | 324,263 | 195,420 |
2023 | 4.2 million | 3.8 million | 302,850 | 179,596 |
2022 | 3.6 million | 3.2 million | 255,110 | 147,596 |
National Independence Day |
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Total | Auto | Air | Other | |
2024 (Forecast) | 70.9 million | 60.6 million | 5.7 million | 4.6 million |
2023 | 67.4 million | 57.8 million | 5.4 million | 4.2 million |
2019 | 65.2 million | 55.3 million | 5.1 million | 4.8 million |
AAA projects a record 60.6 million people will travel by car over Independence Day week – that’s an additional 2.8 million travelers compared to last year. This year’s number also surpasses 2019 when 55.3 million people traveled by car over July 4th week.
Meanwhile, road travel in Florida will set a record for the second consecutive year. More than 3.9 million Floridians are expected to take a road trip. That’s 183,000 more than last year.
“Road travelers should prepare for congestion in the afternoon and evening hours, particularly near larger metro areas, theme parks and popular attractions,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “With so many people on the road it’s important to be patient, minimize distractions while driving, and move over for people on the roadside.”
Gas prices recently sank to multi-month lows, but rebounded in the past couple of days. On Wednesday, Florida drivers paid an average price of $3.32 per gallon on gasoline. That's more than what holiday travelers paid last Independence Day, when the state average was $3.26 per gallon. AAA expects prices to remain volatile through the rest of summer travel season, including the lead up to Independence Day.
The number of domestic air travelers is also expected to set a record. Nationally, 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.
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 parking ahead of time, and traveling with carry-on luggage versus checked bags to save time and money.
More than 4.6 million people are 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’s number is shy of 2019’s figure of 4.79 million.
“Cruising continues experiencing remarkable growth,” Haas said. “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 – and going for a premium – working with a Travel Advisor is a great way to ensure you’re getting the best value for your vacation. Travel Advisors are also able to help you choose a travel insurance policy that protects you and your investment for the impact of unexpected events before and during your trip.”
INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, says the worst times to travel by car before and on July 4th are between 2pm and 7pm. Drivers should hit the road in the morning, and travelers returning on Monday, July 8th should avoid rush hour traffic in the morning and afternoon.
“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.”
Best and Worst Times to Travel by Car | ||
Date | Worst Travel Time | Best Travel Time |
Monday, Jul 1 | Minimal Traffic Impact Expected | |
Tuesday, Jul 2 | 2:00 - 6:00 PM | After 7:00 PM |
Wednesday, Jul 3 | 2:00 - 7:00 PM | Before Noon |
Thursday, Jul 4 | 2:00 - 7:00 PM | Before Noon |
Friday, Jul 5 | 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM | Before 10:00 AM |
Saturday, Jul 6 | 10:30 AM - 2:30 PM | Before 10:00 AM |
Sunday, Jul 7 | 2:00 - 8:00 PM | Before 11:00 AM |
Monday, Jul 8 | 1:00 - 5:00 PM | After 7:00 PM |
This July 4th week, travelers are cooling off in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska – and by the ocean! Seattle, Vancouver, and Anchorage are top destinations because of the popularity of Alaska cruises this time of year. Beaches in South Florida, Honolulu, Punta Cana, and Barcelona are in high demand. Historical sites in European cities like London, Rome, Dublin, Paris, and Athens are also popular. The top 10 domestic and international destinations below are based on AAA booking data.
DOMESTIC | INTERNATIONAL |
Seattle, WA | Vancouver, BC, Canada |
Orlando, FL | London, England |
Anchorage, AK | Rome, Italy |
Honolulu, HI | Dublin, Ireland |
Miami, FL | Paris, France |
New York, NY | Calgary, AB, Canada |
Fort Lauderdale, FL | Amsterdam, Netherlands |
Las Vegas, NV | Punta Cana, Dominican Republic |
Denver, CO | Athens, Greece |
Anaheim/Los Angeles, CA | Barcelona, Spain |
With road trips expected to set a new record this July 4th week, AAA teamed up with Chicco to share safety tips for families with small children.
Holiday Forecast Methodology
Travel Forecast
In cooperation with AAA, S&P Global Market Intelligence (SPGMI) developed a unique methodology to forecast actual domestic travel volumes. The economic variables used to forecast travel for the current holiday are leveraged from SPGMI’s proprietary databases. These data include macroeconomic drivers such as employment, output, household net worth, asset prices, including stock indices, interest rates, housing market indicators, and variables related to travel and tourism, including gasoline prices, airline travel, and hotel stays. AAA and SPGMI have quantified holiday travel volumes going back to 2000.
Historical travel volume estimates come from DK SHIFFLET’s TRAVEL PERFORMANCE/MonitorSM. The PERFORMANCE/MonitorSM is a comprehensive study measuring the travel behavior of U.S. residents. DK SHIFFLET contacts over 50,000 U.S. households each month to obtain detailed travel data, resulting in the unique ability to estimate visitor volume and spending, identify trends, and forecast U.S. travel behavior, all after the trips have been taken.
The travel forecast is reported in person-trips. In particular, AAA and SPGMI forecast the total U.S. holiday travel volume and expected mode of transportation. The travel forecast presented in this report was prepared the week of May 27, 2024.
Because AAA forecasts focus on domestic leisure travel only, comparisons to TSA passenger screening numbers should not be made. TSA data includes all passengers traveling on both domestic and international routes. Additionally, TSA screens passengers each time they enter secured areas of the airport, therefore each one-way trip is counted as a passenger tally. AAA focuses on person-trips, which include the full round-trip travel itinerary. As a result, direct comparisons of AAA forecast volumes and daily TSA screenings represent different factors.
*Independence Day Holiday Travel Period
For this forecast, the Independence Day holiday travel period is defined as the nine-day period from Saturday, June 29 to Sunday, July 7. Historically, the Independence Day holiday period included only one weekend. This is the first year the Independence Day holiday travel period is a longer timeframe with two weekends included.
About AAA - The Auto Club Group
The Auto Club Group (ACG) is the second largest AAA club in North America with more than 13 million members across 14 U.S. states and two U.S. territories. ACG and its affiliates provide members with roadside assistance, insurance products, banking and financial services, travel offerings and more. ACG belongs to the national AAA federation with more than 64 million members in the United States and Canada. AAA’s mission is to protect and advance freedom of mobility and improve traffic safety. For more information, get the AAA Mobile app, visit AAA.com, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
About S&P Global
S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI) provides essential intelligence. We enable governments, businesses, and individuals with the right data, expertise, and connected technology so that they can make decisions with conviction. From helping our customers assess new investments to guiding them through ESG and energy transition across supply chains, we unlock new opportunities, solve challenges, and accelerate progress for the world. We are widely sought after by many of the world’s leading organizations to provide credit ratings, benchmarks, analytics, and workflow solutions in the global capital, commodity, and automotive markets. With every one of our offerings, we help the world’s leading organizations plan for tomorrow today. For more information, visit www.spglobal.com.
About DKSA
DK SHIFFLET boasts the industry’s most complete database on U.S. resident travel both in the U.S. and worldwide. Data is collected monthly from a U.S. representative sample, adding over 60,000 traveling households annually, and is used daily by leading travel organizations and their strategic planning groups. DK SHIFFLET is an MMGY Global company.
About INRIX
Founded in 2004, INRIX pioneered intelligent mobility solutions by transforming big data from connected devices and vehicles into mobility insights. This revolutionary approach enabled INRIX to become one of the leading providers of data and analytics into how people move. By empowering cities, businesses, and people with valuable insights, INRIX is helping to make the world smarter, safer, and greener. With partners and solutions spanning across the entire mobility ecosystem, INRIX is uniquely positioned at the intersection of technology and transportation – whether it’s keeping road users safe, improving traffic signal timing to reduce delay and greenhouse gasses, optimizing last mile delivery, or helping uncover market insights. Learn more at INRIX.com.
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