AAA Expects ‘Record-Breaking’ Travel for July 4 Weekend

by Daniel McCarthy June 26, 2023

Travel this July 4 weekend is expected to be record-setting.

According to AAA, 50.7 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday weekend, surpassing the previous high set in 2019 of 49 million travelers. That is despite high prices for travel.

“We’ve never projected travel numbers this high for Independence Day weekend,” said Paula Twidale, Senior Vice President of AAA Travel. “What this tells us is that despite inventory being limited and some prices 50% higher, consumers are not cutting back on travel this summer. Many of them heeded our advice and booked early, another sign of strong travel demand.”

According to AAA, this July 4 weekend is expected to be a record for drivers—AAA expects 43.2 million people to hit the road this upcoming weekend, a 2.4% increase over 2022 and 4% higher than 2019. That is buoyed by lower gasoline prices compared to 2022.

The holiday weekend is also anticipated to be a record for air travel—AAA projects 4.17 million Americans to fly over the holiday, which is an increase of 11.2% over last year and 6.6% over 2019, which held the previous record (3.91 million flyers). That number would also mark the highest share of air travelers in the overall holiday forecast, 8.2%, in nearly 20 years.

As far as when the best time to leave will be, INRIX, which tracks transportation data and trends, says that Friday, June 30 will most likely be the busiest time to hit the roads, with traffic causing travel times to go up nearly 30% over normal. If you are planning to drive on Friday, leaving before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m. will likely be the best decision. Minimal traffic is expected on both Sunday, July 2, and Monday, July 3.

However, each metro area will have a different best time to leave, according to AAA. New York, for instance, will experience peak congestion on Friday at around 5 p.m., while Washington D.C. will experience its peak period on Tuesday at 5 p.m., and Boston will experience its peak period Friday at 11 a.m.