Holiday Travel Expected to Hit 8-Year High

Nearly 42 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home over next week's Independence Day holiday (July 1-5), according to estimates by AAA. The 41.9 million total including 34.5 million who are expected to take road trips would be the most such travelers over the July 4^th celebration period since 2007, and is a 0.7% increase from a year ago.

The bulk of this year's holiday travelers some 35.5 million people (up 0.7%) will drive to their destinations, AAA says. It forecasts air travel will increase 1.5% year-over-year to 3.21 million travelers. Travel by other modes of transportation, including cruises, trains and buses, is forecasted to grow 0.5% to 3.2 million people.

The insurance and travel service company attributes this year's projected increase to rising incomes, higher employment levels and low fuel prices. It notes that gasoline prices remain at a five-year seasonal low, despite recent increases.

The national average price for a gallon of gasoline was $2.78 on June 25, which is 88 cents less than the average price a year earlier. Drivers can use the AAA Mobile app to find the lowest gas prices during their trip. They also can plan routes and family fun stops using the online TripTik Travel Planner at AAA.com.

AAA expects to respond to nearly 360,000 roadside calls over the extended Independence Day weekend, primarily for dead batteries, flat tires and lockouts. To avoid such problems, the agency recommends motorists inspect their vehicles including the battery and tires before departing on a holiday getaway.