WASHINGTON (WSVN) — As the Fourth of July weekend approaches, AAA said they are expecting more than 72 million travelers, breaking the previous record.
Thursday was expected to be the busiest day at airports around the country, as people get ready to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary.
“We’re expecting it to be a really busy holiday weekend. With the Fourth falling on a weekend, that always increases the numbers we’re going to see,” said Joe Rotterdam, Vice President of Air Services at Pittsburgh International Airport.
The Transportation Security Administration is projecting to screen more than three million passengers, with more than 50,000 flights set to take off.
Airlines are also reporting high numbers.
Officials with American Airlines said they will serve 8.1 million customers over the July Fourth travel period. That’s 10% more than 2025.
United Airlines alone is projecting 550,000 passengers a day.
“We wanted to be home before the Fourth of July to beat the rush and then be home over the Fourth,” said traveler Amber Hadjis.
Millions are hitting the road, too. More than 61 million people will travel somewhere by car, according to AAA.
Experts say drivers looking to beat the traffic should hit the roads early in the day. The worst time on Thursday is between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Thursday is also the busiest day for picking up a rental car, according to Hertz. Demand is highest in Orlando, Boston, Denver, Los Angeles and New York City. Car rentals are also 10% more expensive than last year.
“Driving is still cheaper than flying for most people, even when we had gas prices be the highest they’ve been in April and May,” said AAA spokesperson Aixa Diaz. “For many people, filling up the tank once or twice during their road trip is probably going to be less expensive than buying a flight somewhere.”
And with so many Americans currently feeling that economic pinch, Expedia said searches using their “budget” filter have skyrocketed, up more than 1,200% over 2025.
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