The upcoming Fourth of July holiday weekend is expected to be the busiest travel period since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, according to data from AAA.
The organisation expects 43 million Americans to take to the nation’s roads and highways over the weekend, which accounts for a 5 per cent jump over the same time period in 2019. After more than a year inside, it appears that the road trip is back, and back in force.
The downside – aside from traffic and the inevitable accidents – is that gas prices are also skyrocketing. According to AAA, the prices will be the highest over the weekend since the same time period in 2014. The current national average is $3.09.
Airline experts have also said they expect to see more passengers on planes over the weekend than at any other point since the beginning of the pandemic. Destinations like Miami, Orlando and Las Vegas are among the most popular for travelers, while locales like the Caribbean and Mexico top the list for Americans traveling outside the US.
A spokesperson for American Airlines told ABC News that it expected to run almost 5,500 daily flight from Thursday to Monday, with Thursday and Friday projected to be the busiest days.
Weekend expected to be second-largest road travel volume in US history
More than 43.6 million travelers – accounting for 91 per cent of travel over the July 4th weekend – will take to the roads to reach barbecues and fireworks shows to celebrate Independence Day between 1 July and 5 July.
This is the second highest travel volume the country has seen, which also means roads will be packed over the weekend.
According to USA Today, part of the reason for the increased number of road travelers is because many Americans are still avoiding air travel or other forms of communal travel due to the still-present coronavirus as well as mandates requiring the use of masks.
Graig Graziosi30 June 2021 17:50
Welcome to the live blog
Welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of travel over the 4th of July weekend, which is expected to be the busiest travel period since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Follow along for continuous coverage as Americans return to the roads and the skies to celebrate Independence Day.
Graig Graziosi30 June 2021 17:45
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