Over the Independence Day holiday vacation time, according to the AAA, 70.9 million vacationers may travel 50 yards or more from home. For the first time, AAA analyzed 4th of July go activity by taking a look at the whole month of July, plus the Saturday before and Sunday after the trip. The projected number of travelers for that time period this year is 5 % higher than it was in 2023 and 8 % higher than it was in 2019.
Despite moving to a longer vacation time for this year’s estimates, the report 70.9 million projection for 2024 remains an apples- to- apples comparison with 2019’s 65.2 million and 2023’s 67.4 million travelers, as the latter are based on real travel numbers during the same 9- day period around the July 4th holiday. In other words, AAA is comparing actual go numbers from the previous five years to the same nine-day stretch that was used to create the forecast for this year, not just the length of the travel period.
More Americans are taking longer trips on Independence Day now that the summer vacations are in full swing and there is freedom for work from the distance, according to Senior Vice President of AAA Travel Paula Twidale. We anticipate that there will be an extra 5.7 million travelers this July 4th year, compared to the same period in 2019.
” As we’ve seen in previous years, the majority of guests will be going by private vehicle”, added Lori Weaver Hawkins, public affairs director, AAA Blue Grass. The AAA is reminding motorists to check whether their cars are road-ready. Regular maintenance of vehicles is recommended to maintain proper wheel health, battery life, and fluid levels. Tires and batteries are specifically hampered by the hot climate.
Over Independence Day year, according to AAA, a document 60.6 million individuals will travel by car, an increase of 2.8 million visitors over the previous year. The amount for this year’s month of July 4th, which was 55.3 million people, surpasses the same number from last year. AAA car hire companion Hertz says Dallas, Denver, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco are the places displaying the highest rental need during the vacation week. The busiest choose- up nights are projected to remain Friday, June 28, Saturday, June 29, and Wednesday, July 3.
Gas prices are lower than they were last year, when the average price was$ 3.53 per gallon of regular gas. As of June 20, averaged$ 3.45 per gallon. In the days leading up to Independence Day, gasoline costs are likely to be continuing to decline. They will likely stabilize until after Labor Day, related to last year, before they level off and continue to do so. Significant caveat: If a storm has a negative impact on Gulf Coast oil production and factories, it may be because hurricane season is already in full swing.
A new report is anticipated for the number of passengers flying. AAA projects 5.74 million individuals will travel to their July 4th sites. That’s an increase of nearly 7 % compared to last year and a 12 % increase over 2019. According to AAA booking data, domestic flights are 2 % less expensive this Independence Day week than they were last year, and the average cost is$ 800 for a domestic roundtrip ticket. Throughout the week, flights may get packed. To keep time and money, the AAA suggests arriving two hours earlier, booking driving ahead of time, and traveling with carry-on baggage when possible.
More than 4.6 million people are expected to go by different modes of transportation, including cars, vacations, and trains. This type is seeing an increase of 9 % compared to last year, but this year’s range is shy of 2019’s figure of 4.79 million. Cruising is continuing its extraordinary recovery from a pandemic. This time of year, Alaska cruises are in high demand, making Seattle and Anchorage top domestic locations. This summer, cruise travelers are even finding discounts. Some cruise lines have been offering targeted savings to replace older products for the remaining cabins as new ships are on the market and are priced higher.
The worst days to travel by automobile before and on July 4th are between 2pm and 7pm, according to Metro INRIX, a company of travel data and insights. Drivers may hit the road first thing in the morning, and motorists returning on July 8th, should prevent rush hour traffic in the evening and night.
” Vehicles in large metro areas you assume the worst traffic delays on Wednesday, July 3rd, as they leave town, and Sunday, July 7th, as they return”, said Bob Pishue, travel scientist at INRIX. ” Road trips during the holiday week could take up to 67 % longer than usual. Travelers should check 511 services, regional information stations, and traffic apps for away- to- the- minute road conditions”.
Best Places
By the sea, Seattle, Vancouver, and Anchorage are major locations because of the popularity of Alaska vacations at this time of year. This year, travelers are cooling off in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Beaches in South Florida, Honolulu, Punta Cana, and Barcelona are in high demand. Historic locations in German cities like London, Rome, Dublin, Paris, and Athens are also popular. Based on AAA ordering information, the best 10 domestic and international destinations are listed below.
Family Road Trip Checklist
This July 4th month, road trips are expected to break new records, so AAA and Chicco are partnering to provide the following health advice to families with young children.
• Check car seats match. Check your child’s weight and height when hitting the road to make sure they are in the right car and how to use it, especially when they are facing the other way. In the event of a collision, children should be rear-facing for as long as possible to improve their defense of their scalp, neck, and spine. A car seats comparison guide is provided by Chicco if you’re unaware of the best car seat for your child.
• Triple check car seats installation. It’s important to make sure everything is protected, even if your vehicle chair has already been installed. The “inch check” is a simple at-home tool for this. Just move side to side and front to back while avoiding the car seat belt route. Unplug it and begin over until a stable match is achieved if it moves more than one foot in any way. For any questions, utilize the car seat manual, QR codes, or online resources.
• Secure loose items in the car. Before driving, arrange your car’s maintenance and cleaning. Simple storage solutions can be found near the backs of the driver and passenger seats to ensure that everything has a spot, especially lost items that could explode when they suddenly stop.
• Be prepared for the unexpected. Pack a vehicle emergency kit with first- aid supplies, water, snacks, blankets, jumper cables, and flares. Keep a charger in your car and make sure your phone is fully charged.
• Map your route. Families traveling with young children should make frequent stops along the way. Map out your route ahead of time and browse hotels, restaurants, and other activities along the way.
• Bring entertainment. To keep kids entertained, make sure to keep books and toys within your reach. Make sure your kids ‘ tablets and other electronics are fully charged and ready to use before leaving the house. Create a family playlist with everyone’s favorite songs as another entertaining way to get the whole family singing along for the road trip.
Travel Forecast
In cooperation with AAA, S&, P Global Market Intelligence ( SPGMI ) developed a unique methodology to forecast actual domestic travel volumes. The proprietary databases of SPGMI are used to analyze the economic variables used to forecast travel for the current holiday. 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. Since 2000, the travel volumes reported by the AAA and SPGMI have been analyzed.
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 expressed in trips for individuals. In particular, AAA and SPGMI forecast the total U. S. holiday travel volume and expected mode of transportation. The travel forecast provided in this report was created on May 27, 2024.
Comparisons to TSA passenger screening numbers should not be made because AAA forecasts only consider domestic leisure travel. All passengers on both domestic and international flights are included in the TSA data. 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. In consequence, direct comparisons between daily TSA screenings and AAA forecast volumes are based on various variables.
