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 amount 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.

“More Americans are primed to take advantage of the strong economy by traveling to celebrate the holiday with family and friends,” says Jim Lehman, president of AAA East Central. “Gas prices have not deterred a great 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.

Regional forecast

In Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and Wisconsin:

• Independence Day travelers will total 8.28 million, an increase of 5.4 percent from 7.8 million in 2017.

• 7.28 million will travel by automobile, up 5.4 percent from 6.9 million in 2017.

• 375,000 people will fly to their destinations, up 4.8 percent from 358,000 in 2017.

• 617,000 people will use other modes (bus, train, boat, etc.), a 5.8 percent increase from 583,000 in 2017.

Terrible Tuesday

INRIX, in collaboration with AAA, predicts drivers will experience the worst congestion over the holiday week on Tuesday, July 3 in the late afternoon – as commuters leave work early and mix with holiday travelers.

Travel times could increase two-fold in the major metros across the U.S., with drivers in Los Angeles, New York and Washington D.C. experiencing the most significant delays.

Gas Prices stabilize

Gas prices have slowly but steadily started to fall since the 2018 high of $2.97 set over Memorial Day weekend. Since then, the national gas price has dropped five cents to $2.88 (as of June 20), which is 59 cents more than one year ago.

However, the higher prices are having little effect on travelers this Independence Day, with record number of travelers still planning to hit the road this year.

Paying more

Travelers can expect to pay more to rent a car and stay at mid-range hotels this Independence Day. At $66, the average daily cost of a car rental is a slight increase of 2 percent over last year.

The average nightly rate at AAA Two Diamond hotels is $147, 11 percent more than last year, while AAA Three Diamond hotels will average $187, a 2 percent year-over-year increase.

Theme parks, Europe

Across the country this Independence Day, travelers will flock to theme parks in Orlando and southern California, while many others are heading west. Alaska cruises departing from Seattle, Anchorage and Vancouver round out the top five U.S. 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, Fla.; Anaheim, Calif.; Seattle, Wash.; Anchorage, Alaska; Honolulu, Hawaii

Top International Travel Destinations: Rome, Italy; London, England; Dublin, Ireland; Vancouver, Canada; Paris, France.