Dive Brief:
- A record number of Americans will travel over this year’s July 4 holiday period, according to projections from AAA.
- Some 72.2 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home between Saturday, June 28 and Sunday, July 6, AAA predicted — an increase of 1.7 million travelers over last year’s holiday period, and 7 million more than in 2019.
- Like last year’s forecast, this year’s AAA Independence Day forecast includes two weekends “to better reflect the flow of holiday travelers.” Americans are prioritizing summer travel in 2025, despite some economic headwinds, experts told Hotel Dive earlier this year.
Dive Insight:
Independence Day trips are projected to rise 2.4% over last year’s holiday period, according to AAA.
AAA is seeing “strong demand” for both road trips and air travel this week, thanks in part to the holiday falling on a Friday, giving travelers the option of making it a long weekend or taking the entire week to travel.
The top domestic destination this week is Orlando, Florida, per AAA, followed by Seattle and New York City.
This year’s July 4 travel forecast follows AAA’s record Memorial Day travel forecast, kicking off the summer 2025 travel season.
Consumers are prioritizing summer travel this year despite economic uncertainty, with a higher percentage of Americans traveling and staying in paid lodging this year (53%) than in 2024 (48%), per Deloitte.
And though consumer confidence fell earlier this year, some 70% of respondents to Bank of America’s Summer Travel Trends Survey said they plan on vacationing this summer — a 3 percentage point jump from 2024.
Some travelers, however, may manage costs this year by taking shorter trips, staying at budget hotels or staying with family and friends, Deloitte found.
“People are prioritizing trips, they’re maybe just doing them differently,” Kate Ferrara, Deloitte’s vice chair and U.S. transportation, hospitality and services sector leader, told Hotel Dive in May.
