Record number of Americans expected to travel for Independence Day weekend

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A record 50.7 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home on Independence Day weekend, according to AAA projections.

This is an increase of 2.1 million people compared to 2022. The previous record was 49 million people in 2019.

AAA expects 43.2 million people will drive, 4 percent more than in 2019 and 2.4 more than last year.

The organization predicts 4.17 million will fly, 6.6 percent more than in 2019 and 11.2 percent more than in 2022.

In 2019, a record 3.91 million people traveled by air. This year, the organization predicts the share of air travelers will be 8.2 percent, the highest in nearly 20 years.

An additional 3.36 million people are expected to travel by bus, cruise, or train, 24 percent more than in 2022.

The Transportation Security Administration predicts the busiest travel days will be between Thursday and July 5 with the peak being today. The agency expects to screen approximately 17.7 million during the seven-day travel period.

On July 7, 2019, the agency screened 2.79 million passengers, the record for an Independence Day holiday travel day.

The single day travel record was set on June 16 when the agency screened nearly 2.8 million passengers.