Fewer expected to drive, fly for 4th of July

Fewer Americans than last year will be driving and flying during next week’s Fourth of July holiday, travel experts say.

The number of people driving 50 or more miles from home will drop 1.2% to about 34.2 million, reflecting the continued impact of high gasoline prices, auto club AAA says.


The drop follows a similar decline over the Memorial Day holiday and is the first time this decade that AAA has forecast smaller numbers of people taking driving vacations on consecutive holidays.

“Clearly, gas prices are continuing to take a toll on the traveler’s budget, but the travel industry is responding, as they have in the past, with discounts, promotions and other incentives to get people traveling this holiday,” says AAA President and CEO Robert Darbelnet.

AAA expects 4.54 million Americans to fly during the holiday, a 2.3% decrease from the 4.64 million who flew last year.

USA Today