HARTFORD, Conn. — AAA estimates that over 50 million Americans nationwide will travel this Fourth of July weekend. Here in Connecticut, it’s estimated 664,000 residents will travel 50 miles or more to celebrate, an increase of 4.7% from 2022.
“The volume of travelers we expect to see over Independence Day is a definite sign that summer travel is kicking into high gear,” said Tracy Noble, spokesperson for AAA Club Alliance. “What this tells us is that despite inventory being limited and some prices 50% higher, consumers are not cutting back on travel this summer. Many of them heeded our advice and booked early, another sign of strong travel demand.”
Across Connecticut, over 580,000 people, a little over 87% of travelers, will drive to their destination, an increase of 3.1% over 2022.
“We expect the worst times to travel would be Thursday between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. because those travelers are going to be mixed in with rush hour,” said Noble.
Air travel is also expected to set a new record both nationally and in Connecticut. AAA says over four million Americans will fly to their destinations on Independence Day Weekend, an increase of 11.2% over 2022, and 6.6% over 2019.
Travelers taking to the skies are advised to pack "patience" for the holiday weekend!
In Connecticut, it’s expected almost 51,000 people will fly to their destination, an increase of 11% more than in 2022. The last travel record topped 3.91 million back in 2019.
Public transit is also on the rise this year. AAA expects 3.36 million people will travel by bus, cruise or train over the long weekend, an increase of 24% over last year.
“Be prepared, get to the airlines even earlier than you normally would. Now is certainly the time if you have TSA precheck to use that service” said Noble.
A message to all parents of teen drivers taking to the roads: Model great behavior, put the phone and all distractions down, drive the speed limit, and don’t engage in aggressive driving.
Lauren Zenzie is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at Lzenzie@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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