Summer travel forecast to shatter records for Fourth Of July — here's how many Americans will be on the move
The American Automobile Association predicts that a record number of Americans will travel across the country over the July 4th holiday week from Saturday, June 28 to Sunday, July 6.
During that period, 72.2 million people will reportedly journey at least 50 miles from home — an increase of 1.7 million travelers compared to last year and 7 million more than in 2019, per the forecast.
'Following Memorial Day's record forecast, AAA is seeing strong demand for road trips and air travel over Independence Day week,' said Stacey Barber, Vice President of AAA Travel.
'The top 10 heaviest travel days in TSA history have all happened within the past year, and we expect to see more heavy volumes this summer,' said Kristie Jordan Smith, a TSA official at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
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Indeed, a record 62 million travelers will be commuting by car over Independence Day weekend, marking an uptick of 1.3 million from last year.
Meanwhile, the number of air travelers is also 'projected to set a new record,' per the autoclub, which expects that 5.84 million travelers will jet to their destinations — 8% of all July 4 travelers.
That marks a 1.4% increase over the previous record of 5.76 million during Independence Day week of last year.
Coney Island beach in New York, which is the third biggest July 4 destination this year, according to AAA booking data.
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According to AAA booking data for the July 4 travel period, the top three domestic destinations are Orlando (FL), Seattle (WA), New York, (NY) while internationally the most US travelers are flocking to Vancouver (Canada), Rome (Italy) and Paris (France).
'Cruises, beaches, and fireworks are the main motivators for travelers heading to these cities,' AAA writes. 'Alaska cruises are in peak season, Florida and Hawaii are in high demand for their resorts and attractions, and New York and Boston host two of the most popular fireworks shows in the nation.'
AAA spokesperson Aixa Diaz claimed that the expected travel surge is as much an 'emotional decision' as it is a practical or economic one.
'People don't have to spend a lot of money when they go on these trips, but people want to get away and not be home,' she said.
The Transportation Security Administration is bracing for the tournami. 'The top 10 heaviest travel days in TSA history have all happened within the past year, and we expect to see more heavy volumes this summer,' said Kristie Jordan Smith, a TSA official at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), CBS reported.
Airport officials are hoping to curb the congestion by implementing facial recognition technology.
Customs officials claim that wait times are already down 25% thanks to this expeditious tech, which is now operational at nine flight hubs across the country.
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