AAA offers travel tips for those traveling by car
AAA projects 72.2 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home for Independence Day between Saturday, June 27 and Sunday, July 5. This year’s domestic travel forecast surpasses last year’s record of 71.8 million travelers, but the increase is smaller than recent year-over-year gains. The number of travelers driving and flying to their destinations is relatively flat compared to last year, while travel by other modes, including cruises, is the category seeing the biggest increase.
“For many Americans, traveling the week of July 4th is tradition,” said Stacey Barber, Vice President of AAA Travel. “The 9-day travel forecast includes travelers who are vacationing all week and people just getting away for the long holiday weekend. While the overall number of Independence Day travelers appears to be plateauing, we’re still expecting record volumes this year.”
Independence Day Travelers by Mode of Transportation
By Car: AAA projects 61.4 million people will travel by car over July 4th week, nearly the same number as last year when 61.3 million travelers took road trips. 85% of Americans traveling for Independence Day are expected to drive to their destinations, despite gas prices reaching four-year highs. Last year, the Pennsylvania average for a gallon of regular gasoline was $3.38. This year, prices are 70 cents higher but remain lower than 2022. Despite higher gas prices, filling up the tank during a road trip is still cheaper than purchasing flights for many travelers, especially for families with kids.
For travelers renting cars over July 4th, AAA car rental partner Hertz expects Thursday, July 2 to be the busiest pickup day. Hertz says Orlando, Denver, Boston, Los Angeles, and New York City are the cities with the highest demand based on advanced bookings. According to AAA booking data, domestic car rentals are 10% more expensive this holiday week compared to last year.
By Air: AAA projects 5.85 million travelers will take domestic flights over July 4th week, a 0.2% increase over last year. Air travelers make up 8% of the share of holiday travelers. According to AAA data, which is based on what travelers paid when they booked their Independence Day trips, roundtrip domestic flights to top destinations like Chicago and Denver are 5% more expensive. Domestic flights overall are averaging about $830 a ticket.
By Other Modes: Travel by other modes is seeing the biggest year-over-year growth compared to car and air travel. AAA projects 4.93 million Americans will take buses, trains, and cruises over Independence Day week, a 5.3% increase from last year. This year is also expected to surpass 2019’s figure of 4.79 million travelers, due in large part to the post-COVID cruising boom. Travelers are drawn to cruise vacations because they know how much the trip will cost upfront, and the ship offers all-inclusive dining, various entertainment options, and multiple destinations.
AAA’s Top Independence Day Destinations
AAA members are heading to major U.S. cities over July 4th week and flying internationally to Canada and Europe. Alaska cruises are in peak season, that’s why Seattle, Anchorage, and Fairbanks are all top domestic destinations. Independence Day fireworks and festivities in New York, Chicago, and Boston also draw big crowds. Florida ranks high thanks to theme parks, beaches, and cruise ports. On the international side, Vancouver tops the list, followed by major European cities like Rome, Dublin, Paris, and London.
| RANKING | DOMESTIC | INTERNATIONAL |
| 1 | SEATTLE, WA | VANCOUVER, CANADA |
| 2 | ORLANDO, FL | ROME, ITALY |
| 3 | ANCHORAGE, AK | DUBLIN, IRELAND |
| 4 | MIAMI, FL | PARIS, FRANCE |
| 5 | NEW YORK, NY | LONDON, ENGLAND |
| 6 | CHICAGO, IL | CALGARY, CANADA |
| 7 | FORT LAUDERDALE, FL | REYKJAVIK, ICELAND |
| 8 | FAIRBANKS, AK | AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS |
| 9 | DENVER, CO | ATHENS, GREECE |
| 10 | BOSTON, MA | BARCELONA, SPAIN |
Summer Safety on the Road
July 4th week can be especially dangerous on the road with more teen drivers behind the wheel and a rise in impaired driving due to holiday festivities. That’s why AAA is urging drivers to commit to 100 Days of Safe Driving this summer. According to AAA crash data analysis, nearly one in three summertime traffic deaths involves an impaired driver. AAA, in partnership with MADD, reminds anyone who plans to drink or use impairing substances to arrange a sober ride before going out.
AAA also advises travelers to stay up-to-date on traffic conditions by using mobile traffic apps, 511 services and local news stations. During the Independence Day travel period last year, AAA responded to more than 687,000 emergency roadside assistance calls. Half of those required towing services, and nearly 30% of those calls were for battery replacement and flat tires. AAA offers these car travel tips:
- Get routine vehicle maintenance ahead of your trip to avoid issues like flat tires or dead batteries
- Fill up your tank and check your oil before starting your route
- Secure loose items that can become projectiles in the event of a sudden stop
- Pack an emergency kit with first-aid supplies, water, snacks, jumper cables and flares
- Fully charge your phone and take a phone charger in the car in case you need to reach AAA Roadside Assistance
- Map your route with AAA TripTik and plan stops and activities along the way on AAA Trip Canvas
- Prepare for safe travel by setting up hands-free driving prior to departure including setting up navigation for directions and music. Effective June 5, 2025, Paul Miller’s Law prohibits the use of interactive mobile devices while driving. Drivers cannot hold or use a handheld phone for any interaction, including texting, calling or browsing. The law not only covers active driving but includes driving while stationary at a red traffic light or stop sign.
- Remember to Slow Down, Move Over whenever there are emergency responders and stranded motorists on the side of the road. By reducing speed and changing lanes, drivers allow roadside workers to do their jobs safely and help prevent tragedies.
Best/Worst Times to Drive and Peak Congestion by Metro
INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, says the second weekend of the holiday period will be the busiest on the roads, starting Thursday, July 2. But in certain metros, like Boston, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia, peak congestion is expected Saturday, June 27. Drivers looking to avoid the heaviest traffic should leave early in the day or consider traveling on Monday or Tuesday.
Please note the times listed below are for the time zone in which the metro is located. For example, Atlanta routes = ET and Los Angeles routes = PT.
| Best and Worst Times to Travel by Car | ||
| Date | Worst Travel Time | Best Travel Time |
| Saturday, Jun 27 | 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Before 10:00 AM |
| Sunday, Jun 28 | 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Before 11:00 AM |
| Monday, Jun 29 | 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM | Before 12:00 PM |
| Tuesday, Jun 30 | 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM | Before 2:00 PM |
| Wednesday, Jul 1 | 12:00 PM – 9:00 PM | Before 12:00 PM |
| Thursday, Jul 2 | 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM | Before 12:00 PM |
| Friday, Jul 3 | 12:00 PM – 7:00 PM | Before 11:00 AM |
| Saturday, Jul 4 | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM | After 3:00 PM |
| Sunday, Jul 5 | 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM | Before 11:00 AM |
SOURCE: INRIX
| Peak Congestion by Metro | ||||
| Metro | Route | Peak Congestion Period | Est. Travel Time | Increase Compared to Typical |
| Boston | Boston to Hyannis via Pilgrim Hwy S | Saturday 27th 10:45 AM | 2 hours 1 minute | 100% |
| New York | Jersey Shore to New York via Garden St Pkwy N | Sunday 5th 12:45 PM | 1 hour 55 minutes | 90% |
| Philadelphia | Philadelphia to Rehoboth Beach via I-95 S/Route 13 | Saturday 27th 11:00 AM | 3 hours 18 minutes | 74% |
| Tampa | Tampa to Orlando via I-4 E | Wednesday 1st 2:15 PM | 2 hours 43 minutes | 80% |
| Washington, DC | Washington, DC to Annapolis via 50 E | Friday 3rd 12:45 PM | 1 hour 1 minute | 100% |
SOURCE: INRIX
Independence Day Holiday Travel Period
AAA’s Independence Day holiday travel period spans nine days and includes two weekends. This year, the dates range from Saturday, June 27 to Sunday, July 5. Historically, this holiday period included only one weekend. The expanded travel window was instituted starting in 2024 with historical results calculated back to 2019 using the new nine-day period.
Holiday Travel Forecast Methodology
In cooperation with AAA, S&P Global Market Intelligence (SPGMI) developed a unique methodology to forecast actual domestic travel volumes. The economic variables used to forecast travel for the current holiday are leveraged from SPGMI’s proprietary databases. 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. AAA and SPGMI have quantified holiday travel volumes going back to 2000.
Historical travel volume estimates come from MMGY’s TRAVEL PERFORMANCE/MonitorSM. The PERFORMANCE/MonitorSM is a comprehensive study measuring the travel behavior of U.S. residents. MMGY 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 reported in person-trips. In particular, AAA and SPGMI forecast the total U.S. holiday travel volume and expected mode of transportation. The travel forecast presented in this report was finalized the week of May 18, 2026.
Because AAA holiday forecasts focus on domestic leisure travel only, comparisons to TSA passenger screening numbers should not be made. TSA data includes all passengers traveling on both domestic and international routes, whether traveling for work or leisure. 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. As a result, direct comparisons of AAA forecast volumes and daily TSA screenings represent different factors.
