View source: Chaffin Mitchell
Many Americans are willing to travel hundreds of miles and sit in traffic to spend time with family and friends during the Fourth of July holiday; however, a planned travel itinerary could give you more time with loved ones instead of stuck in traffic.
A record-breaking number of Americans, 48.9 million, are expected to travel for Independence Day in 2019, including a record of 41.4 million people who will drive for their holiday getaways, AAA reports.
Overall travel volume for the holiday is expected to rise 4.1% over last year, with an additional 1.9 million people planning road trips and other vacations to celebrate America’s birthday.
“As Independence Day approaches, it’s time for the much loved family road trip and this year will be one for the record books, with more Americans than ever planning vacations,” said Paula Twidale, vice president, AAA Travel. “This holiday builds on the strong travel demand seen for Memorial Day, and with schools now out of session across the country, families coast to coast are eager to travel.”
July 3 is expected to be the busiest day for people hitting the road, according to INRIX, a global mobility analytics company.
“On Wednesday, thunderstorms could disrupt ground and air travel from portions of eastern Texas northward into the Midwest. This could potentially impact major hubs such as Chicago O-Hare and Dallas Fort-Worth International,” AccuWeather Meteorology Intern Alex DaSilva said.
The greatest coverage and intensity of thunderstorms is expected between 3 and 9 p.m. across this swath of the central United States; however, there could be storms before and after that time frame.
Even without inclement weather factored in, drivers could face delays as much as four times a normal commute as holiday travelers hit rush hour commute times, INRIX stated.