Floridians will travel in record numbers for July 4th holiday, AAA forecast
MIAMI - The auto group AAA is forecasting recording-breaking travel in Florida over the July 4th holiday.
It said more than 2.8 million Floridians will take at least one trip of 50 miles or more, between Friday, June 30 and Tuesday, July 4. That's 87,000 more holiday travelers than the previous record high, set last year.
Nationally, travel figures are also expected to set new records. An estimated 50.7 million Americans are forecast to travel for the holiday weekend. That's nearly 2.1 million more travelers than last year's holiday and almost 1.8 million more than the previous high, set back in 2019.
"Independence Day weekend appears to be the continuation of what has already been a very strong summer travel season," said AAA Vice President of Travel Debbie Haas. "Although airfares and hotel rates are more expensive than last year, Americans are still eager to travel. So, expect to see congested roads, busy hotels, and long lines at airports and attractions."
Nearly 85 percent of all travelers will take a road trip.
In Florida, more than 2.4 million are forecast to take a holiday road trip. That's 37,000 more than last year.
Nationally, AAA predicts 43.2 million Americans will drive to their destinations. That's a little over 1 million more people on the road than last year.
Drivers will be getting some good news at the pump this Independence Day. On July 4th, 2020, the average in the state was $4.54 per gallon. So far this summer, gas prices have been somewhat erratic, but the state average has remained below $3.47 per gallon, thanks to the lower cost of oil. On Monday, the state average was $3.35 a gallon.
Friday, June 30 is expected to be the busiest day on the roads during the Independence Day holiday weekend, according to INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights.
A record-setting 4.17 million Americans will fly to their destinations this Independence Day weekend. That surpasses the previous July 4th weekend air travel record of 3.91 million travelers, which was set in 2019. An estimated 219,823 Floridians are forecast to fly this year. That's nearly 23,000 more than the previous high, which was set last year.