Holiday travel returns to pre-pandemic levels
48m Americans are expected to travel this Fourth of July weekend, amid a post-pandemic summer.[ABC]
As we kick off the Fourth of July holiday weekend, millions of Americans are already on the go.
AAA Travel says nearly 48 million people will be traveling over the three-day weekend. Air and road travel are picking back up to pre-pandemic levels.
But the increased demand in new destinations has airports across the U.S. feeling the pressure. American Airlines was forced to cancel dozens of flights this week due to short staffing. Sun Country Airlines has had to delay or cancel flights because of a third party system outage.
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is seeing increased travelers as well. On average, more than 30,000 passengers pass through TSA checkpoints in a single day. As many as 27,000 were expected on the Friday before the Fourth.
On the ground, meanwhile, of the 48 million American travelers this weekend, 43 million of those will be going by vehicle; but with hefty ticket prices at the pump. The national gas average has now reached its highest point this year, sitting at $3.12 per gallon. Minnesota’s average is $2.42, and Wisconsin is at $2.97, according to Gas Buddy.