AAA: 71 Million People Expected to Travel over July 4th Week, 3 Florida Cities Among Top 10 Destinations

Fireworks display to celebrate the 4th of July. Credit: National Parks Service

ORLANDO, Florida – AAA projects that 70.9 million travelers will venture 50 miles or more from home over the Independence Day holiday period, with three Florida cities ranking among the top ten destinations.

For the first time, AAA analyzed travel data for the entire week of July 4th, including the Saturday before and the Sunday after the holiday. This year’s projection represents a 5% increase compared to 2023 and an 8% rise over 2019.

Record Car Travel

AAA anticipates a record-breaking 60.6 million people will travel by car over Independence Day week, an increase of 2.8 million travelers from last year. This figure also exceeds the 2019 record, when 55.3 million people traveled by car during the July 4th week.

Gas prices are currently lower than last year’s national average of $3.53 per gallon. Prices are expected to continue declining leading up to Independence Day, stabilizing until after Labor Day, barring any significant disruptions from the ongoing hurricane season that could impact Gulf Coast oil production and refining centers.

Air Travel

Air travel is also expected to reach new heights, with AAA projecting 5.74 million people will fly to their July 4th destinations. This marks an increase of nearly 7% compared to last year and a 12% rise over 2019. AAA booking data indicates that domestic airfare is 2% cheaper this Independence Day week compared to last year, with the average price for a domestic roundtrip ticket at $800.

Top Domestic Destinations

Seattle, WA
Orlando, FL
Anchorage, AK
Honolulu, HI
Miami, FL
New York, NY
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Las Vegas, NV
Denver, CO
Anaheim/Los Angeles, CA

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