AAA Predicts Busiest Fourth of July Ever

June 28, 2006

AAA Predicts Busiest Fourth of July Ever
June 28, 2006 – AAA predicts that this Fourth of July will be a record holiday weekend for travel. The group estimates that 40.7 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday, a 1.2 percent increase from the 40.2 million who traveled last year. Of those travelers, about 85 percent will travel by car.

Thursday will mark the 50th anniversary of the Interstate Highway System, which was created when President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal Aid Highway Act on June 29, 1956. This weekend approximately 34.3 million travelers expect to go by motor vehicle, a 1.3 percent increase from the 33.8 million who drove a year ago. Another 4.6 million plan to travel by airplane, the same number flying last Fourth of July.

The greatest number of holiday auto travelers will originate in the Southeast with 8.8 million, followed by the West with 8.5 million; Midwest, 6.6 million; Northeast, 5.7 million; and Great Lakes, 4.7 million. The West is expected to produce the largest number of air travelers with 1.7 million, followed by the Midwest and Southeast at 800,000 each; Northeast, 700,000; and Great Lakes, 600,000.

Ocean and beach vacations top the list of preferred destinations this holiday with 22 percent of travelers saying they will be taking a water-based vacation. Small towns and rural areas was the next popular destination, with 21 percent and cities were third at 19 percent. Ten percent of travelers will head to the lake areas, and 5 percent to the mountains.

For more information, visit http://www.aaa.com/.