NEWS from AAA Oklahoma, June 27 2007 – Independence Day falls on a Wednesday this year and while Americans will be adjusting their vacation plans, AAA predicts they will be traveling in record numbers.

AAA estimates a record 41.1 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday week (June 29 to July 8), a boost of 0.8 percent over the 40.8 million who traveled last year. This year’s rate of increase is smaller than last year’s, in part because July 4, 2006 fell on a Tuesday and many Americans could not pass up the opportunity to leave town for a four-day weekend.

According to AAA, many Fourth of July travelers intend to spend the entire week away from home this year. The largest share of travelers, 37.9 percent, is planning to leave Friday, June 29 or before. (See chart below.)

Approximately 34.7 million travelers (84 percent of all holiday travelers) expect to go by motor vehicle, a 0.7 percent increase from the 34.5 million who drove a year ago.

Another 4.7 million (11 percent of holiday travelers) plan to travel by airplane, up 3.5 percent from the 4.5 million who flew last Fourth of July. A projected 1.7 million vacationers (4 percent) will go by train, bus or other mode of transportation.

“This Fourth of July holiday is somewhat unusual in that it falls in the middle of the work week,” said AAA Oklahoma’s Vice President of Travel, Krista Mullenger.  “Interestingly, we’re finding that Oklahomans aren’t willing to give up their traditional July 4th celebrations with friends and family, and many are choosing to take a few more days off of work to do so. Although prices for gasoline are higher this holiday than last year, we’ve seen prices come down over the last few weeks, which in some cases, has helped families and others make the decision to travel.”

The Oklahoma Picture

AAA is forecasting 498,500 Oklahomans will travel over the Independence Day holiday, a 2.2 percent increase from last year. Of that number, 439,900 will drive, an increase of 1.4 percent over year-ago figures, and another 55,500 will fly, up by about 2.8 percent. The remainder will travel by others means of transportation.

Oklahoma’s gasoline price average for self-serve regular stands at $2.89 today, according to http://www.aaafuelgaugereport.com/, down 31 cents from one month ago and 21 cents more than at this same time last year. Nationwide, gas is currently averaging $2.98 a gallon, down 23 cents from a month ago and 12 cents higher than a year ago.

AAA’s Leisure Travel Index shows other vacation costs up slightly from Fourth of July 2006, while others have dropped significantly. Hotel rates are up by 5 percent for AAA-rated Three Diamond hotels compared with last year. Car rental rates are up by 3 percent. However, airfares are 12 percent lower than Fourth of July, 2006. 

“Vacationers will benefit from making their travel plans as early as possible to take advantage of lower airfares, and to make sure they have a hotel or motel room of their choice at their destination,” said Mullenger.

Fourth of July is the busiest travel period of the summer since schools are not in session and many families take the opportunity to go on vacation with their children.  In fact, of households with kids, 66 percent say they plan to travel with their children on Fourth of July vacations.  (On these charts, Oklahoma is in the "Midwest.")

 ** Among households with children.

Research for holiday travel is based on a national telephone survey of 1,950 adults by the Travel Industry Association of America, which conducts special research for AAA.

Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fullly tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers.  AAA Oklahoma can be visited on the Internet at http://www.aaa.com/.