FJB – July 4th Gas Prices Lowest In 4 Years

Nearly 72 million people are expected to travel during the Fourth of July holiday, likely leading to crowded highway traffic and congested airports across the United States. However, holiday travelers should also see lower gas prices and airfares as they go to their Independence Day destinations, experts say.

Nationally, AAA Travel, the travel‐services arm of the American Automobile Association, forecasts that 72.2 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home during the Independence Day holiday period from June 28 to July 6. This year’s domestic travel projection is 1.7 million more travelers than last year and 7 million more than in 2019.

“Summertime is one of the busiest travel seasons of the year, and July 4th is one of the most popular times to get away,” Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, said.

“Following Memorial Day’s record forecast, AAA is seeing strong demand for road trips and air travel over Independence Day week. With the holiday falling on a Friday, travelers have the option of making it a long weekend or taking the entire week to make memories with family and friends.”

AAA’s annual Independence Day forecast now includes two weekends instead of one, better reflecting the flow of holiday travelers, officials said. However, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration’s travel projections for the airline industry run from July 1 through July 7, with the highest passenger volume—about 2.9 million—expected on July 6.

According to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials, airports across the United States expect the highest passenger numbers ever for the nation’s 249th birthday. TSA staff at airports nationwide said they are prepared to screen more than 18.5 million travelers at the country’s security checkpoints.

Already on June 22, the TSA reported that it screened nearly 3.1 million travelers, the busiest single day number in the agency’s history, and more than 40 days after REAL ID enforcement came into full force at airport checkpoints nationwide on May 7.

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