AAA: Independence Day Travel Expected to Set New Record

Nearly 43 million people in the U.S. will travel this Fourth of July weekend, according to a report from AAA. If that’s true, this year will mark the busiest Independence Day travel weekend on record.

A whopping 84 percent of travelers will drive to their holiday destination, up 1.2 percent from last year. That’s a total of 36.3 million people heading out on the road, compared to just 3.3 million people who plan to fly.

Unsurprisingly, more people are hitting the road thanks to low gas prices. Drivers have saved about $20 billion on gasoline so far this year compared to the same period of time in 2015, AAA says. Gas prices for the holiday weekend are expected to be at their lowest level since 2005 for most drivers.

AAA defines the Independence Day weekend as starting from Thursday, June 30, and ending Monday, July 4. It only counts travelers who are venturing at least 50 miles from home.

The number of Independence Day travelers has grown steadily since 2009, when only 29.8 million people went out. Last year, a total of 42.3 million people traveled during the Fourth of July holiday.

And to settle the question of which patriotic-themed holiday sees the most travelers, this year’s Independence Day is expected to draw out 5 million more travelers compared to Memorial Day weekend.

Source: AAA

The post AAA: Independence Day Travel Expected to Set New Record appeared first on Motor Trend.

from Motor Trend http://ift.tt/293fBww