Record number expected to travel for Fourth of July weekend
A record number of travelers are expected during the upcoming Fourth of July weekend, area travel experts said.
According to its website, the AAA group is predicting that 'Fourth of July travel in 2025 will be the busiest ever, with 72.2 million people traveling at least 50 miles from home.'
'A significant portion of these travelers, 61.6 million, are expected to drive, setting a new record for road trips. Air travel is also predicted to be at a record high, with 5.84 million passengers flying domestically,' the site said.
AAA is basing its predictions on travel from June 28 through July 6 – a time span that spokesperson Molly Hart for AAA Auto Club in Illinois and Indiana said 'was based on data we have about pre-bookings for trips.'
'With the Fourth of July being on a Friday, people are going to extend the week and we opted to do this two-week forecast which we've been doing with the other holidays,' Hart said about starting its travel forecast on Saturday, June 28. 'People are electing to travel more and are making it a priority and some have already left for trips that will be eight or nine days, based on a number of factors including peoples' ability to work remotely.'
Hart said that here in Illinois, recording breaking travel is also on tap.
'We are again reaching historic levels with 4.2 million Illinoisans hitting the roads, skies, or rails – that's up 104,000 from last year,' Hart said. 'Driving is the popular way to travel with nearly 3.9 million taking a road trip, with flying nearly 152,000, which is comparable to last year.'
Hart noted the prediction is that '257,000 will take a bus, train or cruise' this holiday season.
'Speaking of cruises, the Alaskan cruise is really popular right now as it's peak season and a lot of people are going there right now,' she said.
Hart said numbers expected to travel are fueled by a number of factors including gas prices which, as of June 28, averaged $3.48 a gallon in Illinois. down 39 cents from a year ago.
'Chicago's price is $3.84, down 52 cents from a year ago, but gas prices are not deterring people from taking a trip,' she said. 'What we are seeing is many people are staying more domestic – traveling within the United States. They are prioritizing travel over other things. With the economics, people are decreasing the number of trips, but are going for an extended time.
'People are not booking as much for first-class but are splurging for the upgrade in hotels or other things,' Hart added.
She noted that a record number of people traveled during the Memorial Day weekend this year. With a record number projected to travel during the Fourth of July weekend, a lot of people are on the move during the holidays.
'We don't know how long this record-breaking trend we've seen is going to continue, but people are prioritizing traveling and maybe budgeting differently with other things so they can go somewhere,' she added. 'Maybe next year it won't be recording-breaking, but now they're doing other things. Maybe they're not dining out as much during the year to save money for travel.'
Regarding the best time to hit the road, Hart recommends that people 'get up and go.'
'You want to leave before 10 a.m.,' she said. 'Coming back, you want to leave before 11 a.m.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
5 hours ago
Strong storms threaten July 4th holiday travel as millions hit roadways, airports
As millions of Americans pack airports and highways to get a head start on Fourth of July celebrations, strong storms in the East are threatening record holiday travel. June 30, 2025
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Fireworks to light up July 4 skies: Here's the cities that will have the best view - and the duds that will be rainouts
Fourth of July fireworks are set to light up the night sky and while some parts of the U.S. will have spectacular weather and clear views, others will be battling a few storms. Forecasters say viewing conditions will be the best on Friday for major Northeast cities, where some of the largest displays in the country kick-off, and along the West Coast. New York City — the home to the 49th annual Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks show and a display at the Coney Island Beach and Boardwalk — along with areas from Boston to the nation's capital are likely to be rain-free. Fortunately for the Big Apple, humidity levels are likely to be lower than July standards. 'Folks heading to Coney Island, New York, will probably need sunglasses,' AccuWeather forecasters said. But, that is not the case for a large swath of the central and northern U.S., and parts of the southern U.S. "Portions of the Midwest, Southeast and interior Southwest stand the most likely chance for some disruptive downpours and potent thunderstorm activity on July 4," AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok cautioned. Thunderstorms are anticipated Friday across New Mexico, west Texas, Colorado and eastern Arizona, and carry flash flooding concerns. Temperatures in the deserts may reach the triple digits yet again. In the warm Pacific Northwest, showers could also extend into the evening hours, and the Plains and interior Southeast will see high temperatures in the 80s and 90s. In the Midwest, thunderstorms will be possible in Chicago, Minneapolis, Indianapolis, St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri. Meteorologists are watching an area of showers and thunderstorms over the Bay of Campeche in Mexico, which could become a tropical cyclone near the Southeast within the next week. Should a tropical depression or storm develop, southeastern beaches may experience rough surf. "If anything forms, heavy rainfall looks to be the primary impact,' AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Forecaster Alex DaSilva explained. Alternatively, in the days leading up to the holiday, the West is expected to be hot and dry. That may result in fireworks restrictions in some places on Friday. From the Great Lakes to the Northeast, typical summer weather is forecast. AccuWeather says humid conditions and wet weather will affect New Mexico, Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas. Thunderstorms were already impacting travel from Chicago Monday, and 114 delays had been reported at the Windy City's O'Hare International Airport, according to the online tracker FlightAware. A record 72.2 million Americans are projected to travel across the U.S. this Fourth of July, according to AAA. That estimate includes all air, ground and other travel from Saturday through July 6. An unprecedented 5.84 million travelers are anticipated to take to the skies, marking a 1.4 percent increase over the previous record. With gas prices the lowest they've been since 2021, AAA also said there will be the highest volume of people traveling by car on record. It currently sits at $3.14 a gallon. Some 61.6 million people will drive to their destination this year, marking a 2.2 percent increase over last year. 'AAA recommends getting routine vehicle maintenance ahead of your trip and packing an emergency kit. Last July 4th week, AAA responded to nearly 700,000 emergency roadside assistance calls for issues like dead batteries and flat tires, plus people locking themselves out of their car or running out of gas,' the group warned.
Newsweek
7 hours ago
- Newsweek
Severe Weather Could Shut Down Holiday Travel
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Millions of Americans will be traveling this week for the Fourth of July, as a cold front makes its way across the United States and brings the potential for storms throughout the week along the East Coast. Why It Matters About 72 million people will be traveling this week for the July 4 holiday this week, according to AAA. The holiday lands on a Friday, meaning many Americans will be spending a three-day weekend away from home to celebrate the holiday. Weather forecasts indicate that swaths of the East Coast may be experiencing storms this week amid those travels, but much of the country may see clear conditions by Friday in time for fireworks and cookouts. What To Know According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the cold front will bring rain up and down the East Coast Tuesday. In the evening, areas around Maine and New Hampshire are forecasted for severe storms, while rain is expected across the coast throughout the day. Areas of West Texas and New Mexico, as well as parts of the Pacific Northwest, may also experience showers Tuesday afternoon. East Coast showers are likely to continue into Wednesday, though areas in the northeast could clear up later that day. By the afternoon, areas across the southeastern region will still be receiving rain. Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas may get heavier showers, according to the NWS. Similar conditions will persist on Thursday in the southeast, but clearer conditions are expected for cities like New York, Boston, Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia for the holiday, according to the NWS. An airplane sits on the tarmac on a rainy day at Denver International Airport on June 20, 2019. An airplane sits on the tarmac on a rainy day at Denver International Airport on June 20, will continue getting showers on July 4. Parts of the Midwest and the Great Plains such as Minnesota are forecasted to also get showers on Friday, according to the NWS. Similar conditions will persist into the weekend for areas including Michigan and Wisconsin, which forecasters say could receive heavier rain on Saturday. On the holiday, areas of New England may see temperatures ranging in the 60s and 70s; Boston currently has a high of around 80 on Friday. Further southeast, temperatures could reach the lower 90s in places like Atlanta and Tallahassee. The Midwest will similarly see temperatures from the 80s to the low 90s. Out west, temperatures could be more mild. Los Angeles, for instance, has a high of around 80. There could be up to 5.84 million air travelers this week, according to AAA. Over the past weekend, hundreds of flights were canceled amid severe weather in Atlanta. Delta said on Sunday operations had stabilized, but that there could be continued cancellations. What People Are Saying AAA Travel Vice President Stacey Barber, in a statement: "Summertime is one of the busiest travel seasons of the year, and July 4th is one of the most popular times to get away. Following Memorial Day's record forecast, AAA is seeing strong demand for road trips and air travel over Independence Day week. With the holiday falling on a Friday, travelers have the option of making it a long weekend or taking the entire week to make memories with family and friends." AccuWeather's Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok, in a report: "Portions of the Midwest, Southeast and interior Southwest stand the most likely chance for some disruptive downpours and potent thunderstorm activity on Friday, July 4."
