Nearly 1 million Arizonans to travel for 4th of July despite high gas, travel costs

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) -- Nearly one million Arizonans are expected to travel for the Fourth of July holiday this year. According to the latest travel forecast from AAA, about 919,000 people in the state will venture out for food, family, fireworks, and much more next month.

Most of those traveling are expected to hit the road, despite the soaring gas prices. AAA estimates that more than 717,000 Arizonans are planning a road trip even though the average price for a gallon of gas is about $2 more than it was this time last year. Despite the busy travel season, gas prices are starting to ease up by a few cents nationwide. According to Gasbuddy, the national price for unleaded gas dropped to $4.97, down five cents from a week ago. Around the Phoenix area, however, prices are still hovering well over $5.

“Even though things are more expensive, people want to travel and they are finding ways to still take that much-needed break,” said Rolando Flores, Senior Vice President of Membership and Travel for AAA Arizona. The organization expected more than 42 million Americans will travel by car for the upcoming holiday. It’s a phenomenon some travel experts are calling “revenge travel” as many people work to make up time that was lost during the COVID-19 closures.

If you’re driving, Thursday, June 30, and Friday, July 1 are expected to be the busiest in terms of traffic. AAA’s roadside assistance service is planning for about 446,000 calls for help over the Fourth of July stretch.

Those who haven’t booked their flights should do so quickly to get the best available pricing. AAA says they expect Friday, July 1 to be the busiest day to catch a flight. And If you plan on flying this summer, note that complaints to airlines are on the rise. According to Stacker, in March there were 3.42 complaints per 100,000 passengers who boarded planes. Compared to the same month in 2021, there were only 2.41 complaints per 100,000 passengers. Jetblue and Spirit topped the list in that month.

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