Honolulu Is A Top Destination For Independence Day, Travel Record Expected
Consistently rated one of the top 25 fireworks shows in the country, Ala Moana Center’s Fourth of July fireworks display will launch from three separate platforms at Ala Moana Beach Park. Free and open to the public, the fireworks spectacular will begin on Wednesday, July 4 at 8:30 p.m.
A record-breaking 46.9 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more away from home this Independence Day holiday, an increase of more than 5 percent compared with last year and the highest number since AAA started tracking 18 years ago.
For the 39.7 million Americans planning a Fourth of July road trip, INRIX, a global transportation analytics company, predicts travel times in the most congested cities in the U.S. could be twice as long than the normal trip, with Tuesday being the busiest day.
“This Independence Day will be one for the record books, as more Americans take to the nation’s roads, skies, rails and waterways than ever before,” said Bill Sutherland, senior vice president, AAA Travel and Publishing. “Confident consumers with additional disposable income will look to spend on travel this holiday, building on an already busy summer travel season.”
In addition to strong economic variables, the expected increase in travelers this year is helped by Independence Day falling on a Wednesday, giving travelers more flexibility to schedule a trip the weekend before or after the holiday. The Independence Day holiday period is defined as Tuesday, July 3 to Sunday, July 8.
By the Numbers: 2018 Independence Day Holiday Travel Forecast
Automobiles: The vast majority of travelers – 39.7 million – will hit the road this Independence Day, 5.1 percent more than last year.
Planes: A record-breaking 3.8 million people will travel by air, a 7.9 percent increase and the ninth year of consecutive air travel volume increases.
Trains, Buses and Cruise Ships: Travel across these sectors will increase by 5.8 percent to a total of 3.5 million passengers.
Top Destinations
Honolulu is one of the top five destinations for Americans this Independence Day, according to AAA Travel. Travelers also will flock to theme parks in Orlando and Southern California. Alaska cruises departing from Seattle, Anchorage and Vancouver round out the top five US travel destinations for the holiday. For those venturing overseas, Europe is a major draw, with Rome, London, Dublin and Paris all making the list of top international travel destinations for Independence Day.
Top Domestic Travel Destinations
- Orlando, Florida
- Anaheim, California
- Seattle, Washington
- Anchorage, Alaska
- Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
Top International Travel Destinations
- Rome, Italy
- London, England
- Dublin, Ireland
- Vancouver, Canada
- Paris, France
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