Lower gas prices help increase July 4 traffic by 3 percent

A record-breaking 44.2 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more away from home for the Fourth of July weekend. With 1.25 million more travelers than last year, 2017 will be marked as the most traveled Independence Day holiday weekend ever.

AAA says 44.2 million travelers are expected to travel this Independence Day, a 2.9 percent increase over 2016.AAA says 44.2 million travelers are expected to travel this Independence Day, a 2.9 percent increase over 2016.

Overall, 44.2 million travelers are expected to travel this Independence Day, a 2.9 percent increase over 2016. AAA says 37.5 million Americans will drive to their destinations, an increase of 2.9 percent over last year.

“Combined, strong employment, rising incomes and higher consumer confidence bode well for the travel industry, in particular this Independence Day weekend,” said Bill Sutherland, AAA senior vice president, Travel and Publishing. “A historic 44.2 million Americans will travel to celebrate our nation’s freedom this year, adding to an already bustling summer travel season.”

Part of the reason for the record amount of travel is that the national average gas price is four cents cheaper than this same time last year.  AAA said that with the national average price for a gallon of gas at $2.28, prices remain historically low for the summer travel season.

Where’s everybody headed? Orlando claims the number one spot on the list of most-visited locales for 2017 summer travel based on AAA’s summer travel bookings. The complete list includes:

  • Orlando, Florida
  • Vancouver, Canada
  • Cancun, Mexico
  • Seattle, Washington
  • Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
  • Honolulu, Hawaii
  • Anaheim, California
  • Anchorage, Alaska
  • Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Montego Bay, Jamaica