This US Independence Day, congestion will be at its worst on Tuesday, July 3, says the AAA. Image: Kichigin/AFP
Americans planning to travel over the Fourth of July will want to brace themselves for major gridlock and long security lines this summer, as new figures predict a record-breaking year.
According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), 46.9 million Americans said they plan to travel 50 miles or more from their home this Independence Day holiday, which would make this the busiest year since the group started tracking the holiday period 18 years ago.
Of that number, 39.7 million said they plan to hit the roads, marking a five percent increase over last year.
The worst day to travel? Tuesday, July 3, when holidaymakers can expect their road trip to take twice as long as usual, particularly for those living in major US cities like Los Angeles, New York and Washington DC.
Those planning on renting a car will be shelling out a little more than last year, with the average daily cost at about $66, an increase of two percent from 2017.
Meanwhile, US airports will also see a lot more traffic this year, with another record-breaking 3.8 million travelers headed to the skies — an increase of nearly 8 percent over last year.
Travelers taking to the skies will pay an average of $171 this summer, for a round-trip domestic flight.
It’s a similar story for train travel, buses and cruises: About 3.5 million passengers will be traveling across these sectors, marking a nearly 6 percent increase from the same period in 2017.
Theme parks will be particularly popular over the holiday, as Orlando and Anaheim top the charts for domestic destinations.
Here are the top domestic travel destinations for US Independence Day this summer:
1. Orlando, Florida
2. Anaheim, California
3. Seattle, Washington
4. Anchorage, Alaska
5. Honolulu, Hawaii
Top international travel destinations
1. Rome
2. London
3. Dublin
4. Vancouver
5. Paris
AB
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