An anticipated surge in travel is expected over the upcoming days, with millions set to embark on journeys for the Fourth of July.
The American Automobile Association (AAA) forecasted in a statement released on Thursday that approximately 70.9 million individuals will travel distances of 50 miles or more during the week leading up to July 4.
The day with the highest volume of traffic is projected to be Wednesday, July 3, as individuals begin their journeys.
Following that, Sunday and Monday will witness the peak in travel as people return home. Authorities attribute the unprecedented surge in travel to what they describe as “built-up frustration from travel restrictions due to COVID-19,” and there appears to be no indication of a decrease in travel activity for the remainder of 2024.
Here is some of what Larry Collins reported on travel for the holiday for NBC 5 DFW:
Airports and roadways will be packed over the next week as nearly six million Texans are expected to travel for an extended July 4th holiday.
Friday morning, both Dallas Love Field and Dallas Fort Worth International airports saw heavy traffic.
Experts say the holiday week will flirt with record travel.
“We already saw, according to the TSA, the busiest single day of air travel. That record was broken just this past Sunday. 2.9 million people passed through the TSA. Almost just shy of 3 million people,” Going.com representative Katy Nastro said. “It is looking like moving ahead into next week that we have the potential to see 3 million people in one single day, then becoming the new record for the single busiest day of travel.”
According to AAA, travel volume for Texas is expected to be up 5% over last year.
The travel season could be elongated this holiday season. For the first time, AAA increased its travel forecast from five to nine days.
To read more on travel for the Fourth of July, click HERE.