Austin, Texas – Sunday is expected to be a record travel week with more people than ever for the 4th of July holiday.
Millions of Texans are expected to hit the roads or take to the skies, so no doubt you’ll have plenty of company.
“This will be an Independence Day for the record books,” AAA Texas spokesman Daniel Armbuster said.
5.6 million Texans are expected to travel over the next seven days from June 30 to July 7, five percent more than last year. Nationally, about 71 million Americans plan to travel 50 miles or more.
“With about 90% of those traveling by car, the roadways will be very busy, especially on the afternoon of July 3,” Armbuster said.
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That will be especially true on major highways like I-35, so plan accordingly.
The good news: Gas prices are cheaper this 4th of July than they were last year. The statewide average here in Texas is currently around $3.11, and it’s about four cents higher in the Austin area. However, Texas prices are cheaper than the national average of about $3.50.
AAA Texas is reminding drivers to make sure your car is in good shape before taking that long trip.
“Check your battery if it’s more than three years old. Check the fluid level under the hood before you take off. Make sure it’s in good condition. Also, check your tires,” Armbuster said.
AAA Texas also says make sure your A/C is working and stay hydrated during the trip as temperatures will be high.
In May, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport served more than two million travelers, the airport’s busiest month ever. 2023 was also the busiest year on record and is a sign of things to come.
“So it’s a little bit weird since July 4th falls on a Thursday. So we expect the numbers to hold up throughout the week because different travelers will be making different trips, you know, timed to coincide with the holiday.” said Austin-Bergstrom PIO Leslie Ramirez.
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Passengers are requested to plan ahead and arrive early, at least two and a half hours for domestic flights and three hours for international ones. TSA Checkpoint 3 is also currently closed.
“The most important thing to remember is that for passengers who use TSA PreCheck or TSA Clear, those services will be consolidated at Checkpoint 2 West,” Ramirez said. “While general passengers will be able to use Checkpoint 1 or Checkpoint 2 East.”
Ramirez added that the airport expects to see more than 30,000 departing passengers on those busy days and expects a busy summer overall.