What are your plans for the July 4th holiday? Will you be getting together with family or friends? Will you be traveling to get to your celebration or to go sightseeing?
About 41 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home during the Independence Day holiday weekend, a 1.9 percent increase from the 40.3 million people who traveled last year and a nearly 14 percent increase compared to the Memorial Day holiday weekend, according to AAA Travel.
Holiday air travel is expected to increase one percent to 3.1 million travelers from 3.07 million last year. Travelers will find airfares 5 percent lower than last year and car rental costs about the same as last year at $58.
The increase in consumer spending for the July Fourth holiday is primarily due to increasing credit, rather than rising incomes, said AAA CEO Marshall L. Doney.
AAA expects the majority of U.S. drivers likely will pay the highest gas prices for Independence Day since 2008. Today’s national average price of gas is about 20 cents per gallon more than the average on July 4, 2013, which was $3.48 per gallon.
Whether you’re traveling or celebrating in your community with family and friends, I hope you have a fun, safe celebration.
