july 4
People watch fireworks in the form of a "smiley face" during the Fourth of July Independence Day celebrations at the National Mall in Washington in 2016. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

According to American Automobile Association (AAA), a record 46.9 million are expected to travel from United States this Independence Day holiday. This is the highest number of people to be traveling during Fourth of July holidays since the agency started tracking the data 18 years ago.

The Independence Day holiday period is from July 3 (Tuesday)-8 (Sunday) and since July 4 is falling on a Wednesday this year, travelers will get more flexibility to schedule a weekend trip.

From the 46.9 million travelers, 39.7 million are expected to hit the roads, which is 5.1 percent more than last year.

INRIX, a global transportation analytics company, predicted travel time will be double in most congested cities in the U.S. during the Fourth of July holiday, with drivers in Los Angeles, New York and Washington D.C. experiencing the most significant delays.

The worst congestion will be on July 3 in the late afternoon as commuters leave work early and mix with holiday travelers.

Scott Sedlik, general manager and vice president of the public sector of INRIX, said, "With a record-level number of travelers hitting the road this holiday, drivers must be prepared for delays around major metros."

The average daily cost of a car rental will be around $66 — an increase of 2 percent from last year.

Air travel will also see a rise in travelers by 7.9 percent from last year as 3.8 million people will be using the mode of transportation, while 3.5 million will be travelling by trains, buses and cruise ships, which is an increase of 5.8 percent from 2017.

Travelers will be paying an average of $171 for a round-trip flight along the top 40 domestic routes.

Bill Sutherland, senior vice president of AAA, said, “This Independence Day will be one for the record books, as more Americans take to the nation's roads, skies, rails and waterways than ever before. … Confident consumers with additional disposable income will look to spend on travel this holiday, building on an already busy summer travel season.”

Gas prices have been on a decrease since the high of $2.97 a gallon set over Memorial Day weekend this year. The average gas price in U.S. was $2.87 on June 20, which is 59 cents more than a year ago.

Theme parks in Orlando and southern California and Alaska cruises departing from Seattle remain the top domestic travel destinations while Rome, London, Dublin and Paris make it to the list of top international journeys.

AAA advised motorists to take their vehicle to a trusted repair facility for changing oil, checking fluid level, and conducting battery tests and tire inspections before heading for the trip.

A total of 44.2 million people took to the roads, skies, rails and waterways to celebrate Independence Day last year between June 30 and July 4, out of which 37.5 million people decided to drive.

“Combined, strong employment, rising incomes and higher consumer confidence bode well for the travel industry, in particular this Independence Day weekend,” Sutherland had said last year, USA Today reported.

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