NEW YORK — A record 72.2 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home during the extended Independence Day holiday period, underscoring sustained demand for leisure travel despite higher transportation costs, according to projections from AAA.
The travel organization said the nine-day holiday period, spanning June 27 through July 5, is expected to surpass last year's record of 71.8 million travelers, although the pace of annual growth has moderated. AAA said the forecast reflects Americans taking both weeklong vacations and shorter trips around the July Fourth holiday.
Road travel will account for the vast majority of trips, with an estimated 61.4 million people expected to drive, roughly in line with last year. Air travel is projected to reach about 5.85 million domestic passengers, up slightly from 2025, while nearly 4.93 million people are expected to travel by buses, trains and cruise ships, making that category the fastest-growing mode of transportation.
"For many Americans, traveling the week of July 4 is tradition," Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, said in a statement. "While the overall number of Independence Day travelers appears to be plateauing, we're still expecting record volumes this year."
The projections come as airports, airlines and highway agencies prepare for one of the busiest travel periods of the summer. Transportation officials in several states have suspended or reduced road construction to help ease congestion, while airports are advising passengers to arrive early because of heavy passenger volumes.
AAA said about 85% of holiday travelers are expected to drive despite gasoline prices remaining above year-earlier levels. Domestic airfare has also risen, with average round-trip ticket prices to popular destinations increasing compared with last year, according to the organization's booking data.
Popular domestic destinations include Seattle, Orlando, Anchorage, Miami, New York, Chicago and Boston, while international travelers are expected to favor destinations such as Vancouver, Rome, Dublin, Paris and London. Alaska cruises remain a major draw during the peak summer season, AAA said.
AAA urged motorists to prepare vehicles before departing and to avoid impaired driving during the holiday period. The organization said it responded to more than 687,000 roadside assistance calls during last year's Independence Day travel period, with towing, battery failures and flat tires among the most common service requests.
The organization said its forecast, developed with S&P Global Market Intelligence, measures domestic leisure travel and should not be directly compared with airport passenger screening totals reported by the Transportation Security Administration.
