AAA: Record July 4th travel expected as gas prices ease

By Elyse Apel
The Center Square

Drivers will get some relief at the pump this Independence Day weekend after months of high gas prices.

With a record number of Americans expected to travel, AAA reports most will choose to hit the road. This is despite gas prices remaining higher than a year ago.

“For many Americans, traveling the week of July 4th is tradition,” said Stacey Barber, Vice President of AAA Travel. “The nine-day travel forecast includes travelers who are vacationing all week and people just getting away for the long holiday weekend. While the overall number of Independence Day travelers appears to be plateauing, we’re still expecting record volumes this year.”

According to AAA, 72.2 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home between June 27 and July 5, surpassing last year’s record of 71.8 million travelers.

Road trips continue to dominate holiday travel, with 61.4 million people—about 85% of all travelers—expected to drive to their destinations.

AAA reported Thursday that the national average for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline is $3.84, down from $4.29 a month ago and well below the May 21 peak of $4.56.

However, prices remain above last year’s average of $3.17 per gallon.

“Overall, gas prices remain the highest they’ve been in four years, but the downward trend since late May is welcome news during the busy summer driving season,” AAA said.

Despite higher fuel costs than last year, driving remains the most economical option for many travelers as airfare prices continue to climb.

AAA projects just 5.85 million Americans will fly over the holiday period, roughly unchanged from last year. Travel by buses, trains and cruises is expected to see the strongest growth. Nearly 4.93 million Americans are projected to travel by those modes, a 5.3% increase from last year.

Across the country on Friday, Hawaii drivers are seeing the nation’s highest average gas price at $5.47 per gallon for regular unleaded, followed by California at $5.39 and Washington at $5.07.

Indiana has the lowest average gas price for regular unleaded at $3.10, followed by Texas at $3.35 and Oklahoma at $3.36.