Record 47 Million People Expected To Travel For July 4th
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A record number of drivers is expected to take to the nation's highways and byways on Tuesday, ahead of the Fourth of July holiday.
Nearly 47 million Americans are expected to travel for Independence Day. Approximately 40 million will be driving to their destination, up 5.1 percent from last year.
That means, during peak travel times, your trip could take you twice as long as normal. In Chicagoland, the worst travel times will between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Tuesday, according to the AAA.
In all, 2.2 million people are expected to be driving for the holiday in Illinois, up 5.7 percent over last year.
"You know what? Traffic was bad last year, so it might not be too great this year, too. So we'll see," said Danny Breslin, of Westmont.
Gas prices are up significantly compared with the same time last year, but that is not expected to dissuade people from hitting the road.
Air travel also is expected to break a record this year, with 3.8 million flying this year, up 5 percent from 2017. It's the ninth year in a row that July 4th air travel has increased.
TSA officers at O'Hare and Midway airports expect busy checkpoint screening lines. Travelers are advised to arrive at the airport 90 minutes to 2 hours ahead of a domestic flight, and 3 hours ahead of an international flight.
In addition to an increase in people driving and flying for the holiday, the AAA expects a rise in people taking a train, bus, or cruise this year. Travel across those sectors is expected to total 3.5 million travelers, up 5.8 percent from 2017.
