American Automobile Association (AAA) released its annual press release discussing the Independence Day holiday travel information. Lots of good information in this press release.
First, 72.2 million people will travel at least 50 miles or more from home during the holiday week period (June 28th to July 6th). This represents an increase of 1.7 million from last year.
Travel By Car:
- 61.6 million people will travel by car (a 2.2% increase over last year)
- Last July 4th week, AAA responded to nearly 700,000 emergency roadside assistance calls
- Summer gas prices are still the lowest they’ve been since 2021.
- Hertz says Thursday, July 3rd is expected to be the busiest day to pick up vehicles
- Most popular places to visit: Orlando, Denver, Boston, Oahu, and Seattle.
Air Travel:
- 5.84 million travelers will fly to their destinations (a 1.4% increase over last year
- Travelers will pay on average $810 (a 4% increase from last year)
By Other Modes:
- Travel by other modes is expected to grow by 7.4% over last year. AAA projects 4.78 million people will travel by bus, train, or cruise.
Best/Worst Times to Drive and Peak Congestion by Metro
- Wednesday, July 2 and Sunday, July 6 to be the busiest days on the road.
- Afternoon hours will be the most congested.
- Drivers should hit the road in the morning to avoid the worst traffic.
Best and Worst Times to Travel by Car
Date Worst Travel Time Best Travel Time
Saturday, Jun 28 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM Before 10:00 AM
Sunday, Jun 29 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM Before 11:00 AM
Monday, Jun 30 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM Before 12:00 PM
Tuesday, Jul 01 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM Before 2:00 PM
Wednesday, Jul 02 12:00 PM – 9:00 PM Before 12:00 PM
Thursday, Jul 03 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM Before 12:00 PM
Friday, Jul 04 12:00 PM – 7:00 PM Before 12:00 PM
Saturday, Jul 05 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM Before 11:00 AM
Sunday, Jul 06 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM Before 11:00 AM
SOURCE: INRIX