June 22, 2005 5:00 PM, EDT

July Fourth Weekend Will Set Record for Travel, AAA Says

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ore Americans will travel around the Fourth of July than have ever traveled for a holiday weekend, according to AAA's holiday travel forecast released Wednesday.

And holiday travelers will find gasoline prices nationwide that are currently averaging $2.17 a gallon for self-serve regular, up 4 cents from a month ago and about 24 cents higher than a year ago, AAA said.

The auto travel group estimates that 40.3 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday, up 2.8% from the 39.2 million who traveled last year.

About 33.9 million travelers, or 84% of all holiday travelers, expect to travel by motor vehicle, a 2.6% rise from last year, AAA said.

nother 4.6 million, or 11%, plan to travel by airplane, up 4.2% from last year, and a projected 1.8 million vacationers, or 5%, will travel by train, bus, or other mode of transportation.

“This will not only be the most heavily-traveled Fourth of July ever, but the long weekend will put more American vacationers on the road than even the granddaddy of holiday travel weekends — Thanksgiving,” said Sandra Hughes, the group’s vice president, travel.