AAA is projecting that more than 116,000 area residents will travel a distance of 50 miles or more over the Independence Day Weekend (up more than 3% over last year) and, as usual, the vast majority will be driving to their destinations, though air travel and travel by other modes of transportation are both ahead of last year.
Nearly 90% of travelers – or more than 101,000 Delawareans – will be hitting the road for the holiday, despite near-record gas prices. While the increase in auto travel is notable given the pain at the pump, a sharp jump in air travel and travel by other modes of transportation suggests gas prices may be motivating some travelers to consider alternatives.
“The volume of travelers we expect to see over Independence Day is a definite sign that summer travel is kicking into high gear,” says Jana Tidwell, spokesperson for AAA Mid-Atlantic. “The roads will be as crowded as they have ever been over the Independence Day holiday, but airports, train stations and bus depots will also be extremely busy so travelers should plan accordingly.”
Air travel is up slightly (just over 1%) over Independence Day weekend last year, with AAA projecting that nearly over 11,000 Delawareans will to take to the skies. And, travel by other modes of transportation, which was slowest to recover from the pandemic, is up almost 168% over last year, with more than 4,000 Delawareans training, busing or cruising to their holiday destinations.
2022 Projected Independence Day Holiday Travelers – Delaware
| NUMBER OF TRAVELERS | Total Population | 2022 Travelers | Percent of population traveling | Percent change vs. 2021 |
| Delaware TOTAL, Auto, Air & Other | 1,003,384* | 116,393 | 11.6% | +3.3% |
| Delaware Auto | 87% of people travel by car | 101,342 | 10.1% | +1.0% |
| Delaware Air | 9.4% of people travel by air | 11,037 | 1.1% | +1.1% |
| Delaware Other (train, bus, cruise, etc.) | 3.4% of people travel by other | 4,014 | 0.4% | +167.8% |
| National TOTAL | 329.5 million* | 47.9 million | 14.5% | +3.7% |
| National Auto | 88% of people travel by car | 42.0 million | 12.7% | +0.4% |
| National Air | 7% of people travel by air | 3.6 million | 1.1% | +1.5% |
| National Other(train bus, cruise, etc.) | 5% of people travel by other | 2.4 million | 0.7% | +167.9% |
*U.S. Census Bureau/IHS Global Insight (v2021)
AAA National Travel Projections
The increase in the number of Delawareans traveling over the Independence Day holiday mirrors national projections.
From June 30 to July 4, nearly 48 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home.
More than 3 million will be flying to their destinations, an increase of 4% over last year. And, the most significant increase over last year is the number of holiday travelers going by train, bus or cruise line – more than 2.4 million, an increase of 168% over last year.
AAA Tips for Every Travelers
“Whether you will be driving, flying or taking some other mode of transportation over the holiday weekend, planning ahead, especially for delays, is key to ensuring your best travel experience,” Tidwell adds.
| Daily Worst and Best Times to Travel | ||
| Day | Worst Time | Best Time |
| Thursday | 2:00-8:00 PM | Before 7:00 AM / After 8:00 PM |
| Friday | 12:00-9:00 PM | Before 10:00 AM / After 9:00 PM |
| Saturday | 2:00-4:00 PM | Before 12:00 PM / After 7:00 PM |
| Sunday | Low congestion expected all day | |
| Monday | Low congestion expected all day | |
| Source: INRIX |
Flying
- Check your flight status before leaving for the airport:Don’t make a wasted trip. Download the airline app and check your flight status before setting out.
- Get there early: Airports will be crowded. Arrive at the airport at least two hours early for domestic flights and three hours for international.
- Understand expectations: Review TSA guidelines for getting through security and pack accordingly. Also, remember that masks are still required in some airports and on some flights to international destinations.
To learn more about which airports have the longest wait times for security visit TheExtraMile.com.
All modes of transportation:
- Consider Travel Insurance: Hope for the best but plan for the worst. Talk to a trust travel advisor about the travel insurance policy that would cover you if your weekend getaway does not go as planned.
- Book everything in advance: Flights, car rentals, accommodations, tours, cruises and other activities are in high demand and availability will be limited. Prices are already skewing higher and with greater demand, finding last-minute deals is unlikely.
- Be Flexible and Patient: Whether you are driving, flying or going by some other mode of transportation, expect crowds, expect delays and plan accordingly. Staffing in airports at hotels and in restaurants continues to be a challenge. Pack your patience.
Big Cities and Beaches are Top Destinations
AAA booking data reveals that big cities and beaches are top destinations this Independence Day, both domestically and abroad:
| 2022 Top Independence Day Destinations | |
| U.S Destinations | International Destinations |
| Orlando, FL | Vancouver, BC, Canada |
| Seattle, WA | Paris, France |
| New York, NY | London, England |
| Anaheim, CA | Rome, Italy |
| Anchorage, AK | Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Ft. Lauderdale, FL | Dublin, Ireland |
| Las Vegas, NV | Calgary, AB, Canada |
| Honolulu, HI | Punta Cana, Dominican Republic |
| Denver, CO | Cancun, Mexico |
| Chicago, IL | Nassau, Bahamas |
Forecast Methodology:
In cooperation with AAA, IHS Markit– a world leader in critical information, analytics and expertise — developed a methodology to forecast actual domestic travel volumes. The economic variables used to forecast travel for the current holiday are leveraged from IHS Markit’s proprietary databases. These data include drivers such as employment; output; household net worth; asset prices including stock indices; interest rates; housing market indicators and variables related to travel and tourism, including prices of gasoline, airline travel and hotel stays. AAA and IHS Markit have quantified holiday travel volumes going back to 2000.
