AAA projects 72.2 million people will travel at least 50 miles or more from home over the July Fourth holiday period from Saturday, June 28 to Sunday, July 6, according to a report. That’s an increase of 1.7 million travelers compared to last year and 7 million more than in 2019.

AAA projects 61.6 million people will travel by car, a 2.2% increase over last year, and the highest volume on record according to the report. The Independence Day holiday period is expected to see an additional 1.3 million road travelers compared to 2024.

The company said that some of the top destinations based on advanced rental car bookings are also on AAA’s list of most popular places to visit over July 4, including Orlando, Florida; Denver; Boston; Oahu, Hawaii; and Seattle.

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

Also highlighted in the report, INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, expects Wednesday, July 2 and Sunday, July 6 to be the busiest days on the road, with afternoon hours having the most travelers.

Retailers along key travel routes are building unique experiences to make their stores a memorable piece of customers’ journeys. Read more about how c-stores can be road trip destinations in “Worth the Road Trip!” in the May 2025 issue of NACS Magazine.