Nearly 71 million people expected to travel for the Fourth of July
Jun 21, 2024, 10:00 AM
Vehicles travel on I-15 in Salt Lake City. Utah's roads are the sixth safest in the nation. (Kristin Murphy/ Deseret News)
(Kristin Murphy/ Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY— AAA is predicting 70.9 million people will travel at least 50 miles for the July Fourth holiday. That figure includes a record number of drivers and flyers.
The projection is also up 8.8% from the 65.2 million people that traveled for the holiday back in 2019.
The travel agency said all figures are based on forecasts between Saturday, June 28 and Sunday, July 7.
AAA is predicting a record 60.6 million alone will drive to their holiday destinations.
For people planning to rent a car for the holiday, Hertz data suggests Salt Lake City will be one of the five busiest places in the country to pick up a vehicle, along with Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
AAA said the busiest projected times to pick up a vehicle will be Friday, June 28, Saturday, June 29, and Wednesday, July 3.
The agency is also predicting a record 5.74 million people will fly to their destinations. If you plan to fly, AAA is advising people:
- Arrive at the airport 2 hours before your departure time.
- Reserve parking ahead of time.
- Use carry-on luggage instead of checked bags, if possible.
The agency is also predicting a near-record number of people to use alternate transportation methods, including buses, trains and cruises.
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