AAA predicts that North Carolinians will travel in record numbers during the Independence Day holiday period. AAA forecasts close to 1.5 million North Carolinians will take at least one trip of 50 miles or more between today (June 30) and July 4. That’s an increase of 60,000 holiday travelers over the previous record high, set last year.

On a national basis, travel numbers are also expected to set new records. An estimated 50.7 million Americans are expected to travel this holiday weekend. That’s approxmately two-million more travelers than last year’s holiday and around 1.8 million more than the previous high, which was set back in 2019.

Nearly 85% of all travelers will take a road trip. AAA predicts 43.2 million Americans will drive to their destinations. That’s a little over 1 million more people on the road than last year. In North Carolina, more than 1.3 million are forecast to take a holiday road trip. That’s 35,000 more than last year.

Gas prices are likely to be well below what drivers paid during last year’s holiday period. The North Carolina average was $4.53 per gallon on July 4, 2022. Gas prices have fluxuated this spring and early summer, and the state average has remained below $3.35 per gallon.

AAA says 4.17 million Americans will fly to their destinations this Independence Day weekend. That surpasses the previous July 4 weekend air travel record of 3.91 million travelers, set in 2019. Today was expected to be the busiest day on the roads during the Independence Day holiday weekend.