Record Numbers Of Travelers To Set Out This 4th Of July Weekend

Wisconsinites will be traveling in record numbers for Independence Day 2023. This is according to AAA which forecasts more than 1.1 million Wisconsin residents will take at least one trip of 50 miles or more, between Friday, June 30 and Tuesday, July 4. That’s over 48,000 more holiday travelers than the previous record high, set last year.

Nationally, travel figures are also expected to set new records. Almost 51 million Americans are forecast to travel for the holiday weekend. About 2 million more than last year’s holiday.

“Independence Day weekend appears to be the continuation of what has already been a very strong summer travel season,” said Debbie Haas, Vice President of Travel for AAA. “Although airfares and hotel rates are more expensive than last year, Americans are still eager to travel.”

AAA predicts 43 million Americans will be driving to their destinations. That’s a little over 1 million more people on the road than last year.

While it’s still too early to know exactly what drivers will be paying at the pump, it’s likely to be well below what drivers paid during last year’s holiday period. The Wisconsin state average was $4.60 per gallon on July 4th of 2022. So far this summer, the state average has remained below $3.60 per gallon.

A record-setting 4.17 million Americans will fly to their destinations this Independence Day weekend. That surpasses the previous July 4th weekend air travel record of 3.91 million travelers, which was set in 2019.

Friday, June 30 is expected to be the busiest day on the roads during the July 4th holiday weekend, according to INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights. The worst travel times vary by day, but are generally in the afternoon and early evening.