AAA projects 72.2 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home for Independence Day between Saturday, June 27 and Sunday, July 5. This year’s domestic travel forecast surpasses last year’s record of 71.8 million travelers, but the increase is smaller than recent year-over-year gains. The number of travelers driving and flying to their destinations is relatively flat compared to last year, while travel by other modes, including cruises, is the category seeing the biggest increase.
“For many Americans, traveling the week of July 4th is tradition,” said Stacey Barber, VP, 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.”
Independence Day travelers by mode of transportation
By car: AAA projects 61.4 million people will travel by car over July 4th week, nearly the same number as last year when 61.3 million travelers took road trips. Eighty-five percent of Americans traveling for Independence Day are expected to drive to their destinations, despite gas prices reaching four-year highs. Last year, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline was $3.15. This year, prices are higher but remain lower than 2022, when the national average was $4.80 on Independence Day. Despite higher gas prices, filling up the tank during a road trip is still cheaper than purchasing flights for many travelers, especially for families with kids.
By air: AAA projects 5.85 million travelers will take domestic flights over July 4th week, a 0.2% increase over last year. Air travelers make up 8% of the share of holiday travelers. According to AAA data, which is based on what travelers paid when they booked their Independence Day trips, roundtrip domestic flights to top destinations like Chicago and Denver are 5% more expensive. Domestic flights overall are averaging about $830 a ticket.
By other modes: Travel by other modes is seeing the biggest year-over-year growth compared to car and air travel. AAA projects 4.93 million Americans will take buses, trains, and cruises over Independence Day week, a 5.3% increase from last year. This year is also expected to surpass 2019’s figure of 4.79 million travelers, due in large part to the post-COVID cruising boom.
AAA’s Top Independence Day destinations
AAA members are heading to major U.S. cities over July 4th week and flying internationally to Canada and Europe. Alaska cruises are in peak season, that’s why Seattle, Anchorage and Fairbanks are all top domestic destinations. Independence Day fireworks and festivities in New York, Chicago and Boston also draw big crowds. Florida ranks high thanks to theme parks, beaches and cruise ports. On the international side, Vancouver tops the list, followed by major European cities like Rome, Dublin, Paris and London.
Domestic
1 Seattle
2 Orlando
3 Anchorage
4 Miami
5 New York
6 Chicago
7 Fort Lauderdale
8 Fairbanks, AK
9 Denver
10 Boston
International
1 Vancouver
2 Rome
3 Dublin
4 Paris
5 London
6 Calgary
7 Reykjavik
8 Amsterdam
9 Athens
10 Barcelona
