Thursday, July 4, 2024 With summer vacations in full swing and the flexibility of remote work, more Americans are planning extended trips around Independence Day Holiday Weekend from June 28- July 8. According to Paula Twidale, Senior Vice President of AAA Travel, this shift is expected to drive record-breaking travel numbers, making this year’s Independence Day the busiest ever. AAA projects that 70.
9 million travelers will venture 50 miles or more from home over the Independence Day holiday period. This projection includes the entire week of July 4th, along with the preceding Saturday and the following Sunday, marking a 5% increase from 2023 and an 8% rise from 2019. “We anticipate this July 4th week will be the busiest ever, with an additional 5.
7 million people traveling compared to 2019,” Twidale stated. An estimated 60.6 million people are expected to travel by car, surpassing the 55.
3 million who did so in 2019. This increase of 2.8 million travelers from last year highlights the popularity of road trips.
Major cities like Dallas, Denver, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco are seeing the highest demand for car rentals, with peak pick-up days projected to be June 28, June 29, and July 3. Current gas prices are lower than last year’s national average of $3.53, and they are expected to continue dropping leading up to Independence Day.
However, the ongoing hurricane season could affect gas prices if storms impact Gulf Coast oil production and refining c.
