Record Number of Americans Expected to Travel for Independence Day

AAA Travel’s latest data suggests that an estimated 72.2 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home during the Independence Day holiday travel period, which runs from Saturday, June 27, to Sunday, July 5.

If the estimate holds, it would surpass the 2025 record total of 71.8 million travelers, but the increase would be smaller than recent year-over-year gains. While the number of Americans driving or flying to their destinations remained about the same, the number of people taking a cruise for the holiday increased the most.

“For many Americans, traveling the week of July 4th is a tradition,” AAA Travel Vice President Stacey Barber said. “The 9-day travel forecast includes travelers who are vacationing all week and people just getting away for the long holiday weekend. 

“While the overall number of Independence Day travelers appears to be plateauing, we’re still expecting record volumes this year,” Barber continued. 

How People are Traveling in 2026

AAA Travel’s data show that around 61.4 million Americans will travel by car during the July 4th week, nearly the same number as last year, when 61.3 million travelers took road trips. That’s around 85% of all holiday travelers, despite gas prices reaching four-year highs.

For those renting vehicles to drive to their holiday destinations, AAA found that Thursday, July 2, will be the busiest pickup day, and domestic car rentals are 10% more expensive this holiday week compared to last year.

As for those taking to the skies, 5.85 million travelers are expected to take domestic flights over the Independence Day week, a 0.2% increase over last year. Air travelers account for 8% of holiday travelers, with the cost of domestic flights averaging about $830 per ticket.

Travel by other modes will see the biggest year-over-year growth, as AAA projects 4.93 million Americans will take buses, trains, and cruises over Independence Day week, a 5.3% increase from last year. This year’s total is expected to surpass 2019’s figure of 4.79 million travelers.

Where People Are Going in 2026

Between Independence Day fireworks and festivities, theme park vacations, beach trips, and mountain getaways, Americans are trying to unwind in 2026. Here are AAA’s Top 10 destinations lists for both international and domestic travel:

Domestic

1. Seattle, Washington
2. Orlando, Florida
3. Anchorage, Alaska
4. Miami, Florida
5. New York City
6. Chicago, Illinois
7. Fort Lauderdale, Florida
8. Fairbanks, Alaska
9. Denver, Colorado 
10. Boston, Massachusetts 

International 

1. Vancouver, Canada
2. Rome, Italy
3. Dublin, Ireland
4. Paris, France
5. London, England
6. Calgary, Canada
7. Reykjavik, Iceland
8. Amsterdam, Netherlands
9. Athens, Greece
10. Barcelona, Spain

Best and Worst Times to Drive

AAA Travel teamed with INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, to determine the best and worst times to drive, with the second weekend of the holiday period being the busiest on the roads, starting Thursday, July 2. 

In some major cities like Boston, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia, peak congestion is expected Saturday, June 27, but drivers looking to avoid the heaviest traffic should leave early in the day or consider traveling on Monday or Tuesday.

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