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Record-Breaking 3.5 Million Texans Will Travel to Celebrate Independence Day

More than 49 million people will travel during Independence Day holiday period across the U.S.

Coppell, TX Automotive, Gas Prices, Travel
2019 Independence Day GFX

More Texans than ever recorded by AAA, exceeding 3.5 million, are making plans to honor the red, white and blue with an Independence Day getaway this year. (AAA began tracking holiday travel in 2000.) Overall, national travel volume for the holiday is expected to rise 4.1% over last year to total nearly 49 million people, with an additional 1.9 million people planning road trips and other vacations to celebrate America’s birthday. For the record-high 41.4 million Americans who will travel by automobile this Independence Day, INRIX, a global mobility analytics company, predicts drivers could face delays as much as four times a normal commute, with Wednesday, July 3 the worst day on the roads. The Independence Day holiday travel period is defined as the five-day period from Wednesday, July 3 to Sunday, July 7.

In addition to lower gas prices compared with last summer, broader economic fundamentals remain strong. Low unemployment, robust consumer spending, and rising disposable incomes are all encouraging more consumers to invest their hard-earned money in travel this summer.

“More Texans than ever before are planning to travel away from home for the upcoming Independence Day holiday period,” said Kent Livesay, Vice President & General Manager, AAA Texas. “Lone Star State residents are enjoying a strong economy and lower gas prices compared to this same time last year.”

 

By the numbers: 2019 Independence Day holiday travel forecast

Texas

 

 

Mode of travel

People

Change from 2018

Automobile

3 million

+4.6%

Air Travel

351,000

+5.8%

Other Travel (Trains, Buses)

203,000

-0.5%

Texas Total Travel Volume                  

3.5 million

+4.4%

     
     

National

 

 

Mode of travel

People

Change from 2018

Automobile

41.4 million

+4.1%

Air Travel

3.6 million

+5.3%

Other Travel (Trains, Buses)

3.5 million

+0.6%

National Total Travel Volume                  

48.9 million

+4.1%

 

Independence Day holiday travel, by mode

  • Automobiles: The vast majority of travelers – 41.4 million – will hit the road, the most on record for the holiday and 4.3% more than last year.
  • Planes: 3.96 million people will take to the skies, the highest number on record and 5.3% more than last year.
  • Trains, Buses and Cruise Ships: Travel across these sectors will increase by 0.6% to 3.55 million passengers.

Record-level drivers equals record-level delays

For the 41.4 million Americans traveling by automobile this Independence Day, INRIX, in collaboration with AAA, predicts drivers will experience the greatest amount of congestion on Wednesday, July 3 as commuters mix with holiday travelers. In major metros, drivers could face delays as much as four times a normal commute. Nationwide, delays are expected to increase by approximately 9%.

“With record-level travelers hitting the road this holiday, drivers must be prepared for delays around our major metros,” said Trevor Reed, transportation analyst at INRIX. “Although travel times are expected to nominally increase throughout the week, hands down, Wednesday afternoon will be the worst time to be on the road.”

 

Region

Worst Day for Travel

Worst Time for Travel

Delay Multiplier

Atlanta

Friday, July 5

5:00 - 7:00 PM

2.5x

Boston

Friday, July 5

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

3.4x

Chicago

Friday, July 5

1:00 - 3:00 PM

2x

Detroit

Wednesday, July 3

2:00 - 4:00 PM

2x

Houston

Thursday, July 4

1:00 - 3:00 PM

3x

Los Angeles

Wednesday, July 3

11:30 AM - 1:30 PM

2.7x

New York

Wednesday, July 3

1:45 - 3:45 PM

3.8x

San Francisco

Wednesday, July 3

1:30 - 2:30 PM

2.5x

Seattle

Thursday, July 4

12:00 - 2:00 PM

3x

Washington, DC

Sunday, July 7

10:30 AM - 12:30 PM

2.4x

 

Lower gas prices motivating millions of road trippers

With today’s Monday’s Texas statewide average of $2.35, gas prices are 31 cents less year-over-year and expected to drop even lower into the summer. This is motivating record numbers of travelers to take road trips for the holiday weekend.

“Gas prices are, on average, 16-cents cheaper than Memorial Day weekend, which is welcome news for motorists hitting the road to celebrate the July Fourth holiday,” said Daniel Armbruster, AAA Texas spokesperson. “More so, summer gas prices are poised to continue dropping even lower in coming weeks.”

 

Travelers paying more for July 4 car rentals and airfares

Some of the savings travelers are enjoying from lower gas prices will go toward other travel costs this holiday, which are trending higher. According to AAA’s Leisure Travel Index, airfares on average are 10% more expensive compared with last Independence Day, while average car rental rates are 5% higher than last year, at $69 daily. Meanwhile, midrange accommodations are expected to cost travelers between $153 for AAA Two Diamond and $189 for AAA Three Diamond Rated hotels.

 

Top Independence Day travel destinations
Fun-in-the-sun locales like Orlando and Honolulu lead the top 10 the list of popular destinations for American travelers this Independence Day, based on advance AAA Travel bookings:

 

  1. Orlando, Florida
  2. Honolulu, Hawaii
  3. Seattle, Washington
  4. Las Vegas, Nevada
  5. Anaheim, California
  6. New York, New York
  7. Boston, Massachusetts
  8. Maui, Hawaii
  9. Anchorage, Alaska
  10. Chicago, Illinois

 

For those travelers planning an international vacation, Europe is the destination of choice. Rome, London, Dublin and Paris are the most popular spots for international vacations this Independence Day, with Vancouver, Canada -- a top departure port for Alaskan cruises -- rounding out the top five.

According to Hertz, a 40-year AAA partner, the busiest airport pick-up locations for travelers renting a car this Independence Day are expected to be Orlando (MCO), Los Angeles (LAX), Denver (DEN), Las Vegas (LAS) and San Francisco (SFO). The busiest day for rental pick-ups is expected to be Wednesday, July 3.

 

AAA Texas to rescue more than 16,000 motorists
AAA Texas expects to rescue more than 16,000 motorists at the roadside this Independence Day holiday in Texas. Dead batteries, flat tires and lockouts will be the leading reasons AAA members will experience car trouble. AAA recommends motorists take their vehicles to a trusted repair facility to perform any needed maintenance before heading out on a road trip. Additionally, before hitting the road, motorists need to be prepared for emergencies by taking along a mobile phone and car charger, a flashlight with extra batteries, a first-aid kit, a basic toolkit, and drinking water and snacks for all passengers.

 

AAA reminds travelers that it’s not too late to plan an Independence Day trip. Visit AAA.com/Travel to get started.

 

Methodology:

AAA’s projections are based on economic forecasting and research by IHS Markit, a London-based business information provider. For the purposes of this forecast, the Independence Day holiday travel period is defined as the five-day period from Wednesday, July 3 to Sunday, July 7. In cooperation with AAA, IHS Markit developed a unique methodology to forecast actual domestic travel volumes, using macroeconomic drivers such as employment; output; household net worth; asset prices including stock indices; interest rates; housing market indicators and variables related to travel and tourism, including prices of gasoline, airline travel and hotel stays. The complete AAA/IHS Markit 2019 Independence Day holiday travel forecast is available here.

About AAA: AAA provides more than 59 million members with automotive, travel, insurance and financial services through its federation of 34 motor clubs and nearly 1,100 branch offices across North America. Since 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for safe mobility. Drivers can request roadside assistance, identify nearby gas prices, locate discounts, book a hotel or map a route via the AAA Mobile app. AAA Texas branch offices throughout the state can be found by visiting www.AAA.com. Follow AAA Texas on Twitter: @AAATexas and Facebook: www.facebook.com/AAATexas. Find additional news from AAA Texas in our online newsroom at http://tx-aaa.iprsoftware.com/.

About INRIX:
INRIX is the global leader in connected car services and transportation analytics. Leveraging big data and the cloud, INRIX delivers comprehensive services and solutions to help move people, cities and businesses forward. Our partners are automakers, governments, mobile operators, developers, advertisers, as well as enterprises large and small.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: Infographics and more information on the holiday travel forecast are available at AAA.com/July4

Media Contacts

Daniel Armbruster
Media & Corporate Spokesperson , AAA Texas (DFW Based)
512-564-3141
armbruster.daniel@ace.aaa.com
CST 1016202-80 Copyright © AAA Texas, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
AAA Texas is a member club affiliated with the American Automobile Association (AAA) national federation and serves members in the state of Texas (with the exception of Texarkana).