Over a million Arizonans set to hit the road for Fourth of July

A record number of Americans are hitting the road this week ahead of the Fourth of July holiday.

“Nationwide, it's looking like almost 71 million people are expected to be traveling across the country, so it's going to be really busy," Julian Paredes, a spokesperson for AAA Arizona, said. "Like, no matter if you're going to be traveling by road or at the airport, you can pretty much guarantee it's going to be busy no matter where you’re at."

Here in Arizona, 1.5 million people are hitting the roads for the holiday, which is a 5% increase from last year.

Paredes says this has been a trend since the pandemic.

"2023 was a big bounce back year for the travel industry. Lots of people taking cruises and going on international trips. That's really just been the theme of 2024, as well. It's just been continuing, that kind of record demand for traveling. A lot more people are taking bigger vacations," Paredes says.

While 80% of Arizonans will hit the roads, Tucson International Airport expects to see 93,000 travelers over the week.

But the Tucson Airport Authority says they don't expect to see any issues with wait times.

"Even if you park, and come in, and check bags, and go through the security line, it's a breeze here," says Brian Kidd, director of marketing and air service development for TAA.

The busiest days will be July 3, 7 and 8 for travelers flying home.

Tips to beat the traffic is to leave before rush hour, which AAA says is between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Other suggestions are to check your tire pressure and car battery before leaving.

Most breakdown calls to AAA received during this period are related to those issues, so it could save you some headaches ahead of the holiday.

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Blake Phillips is a reporter for KGUN 9 . Originally from St. Louis, Mo., Blake grew up in Sierra Vista. During his college tenure at the Missouri School of Journalism, Blake worked for the NBC affiliate KOMU-TV in Columbia. He is excited to return to a place he calls home and give back to the community in which he grew up. Share your story ideas and important issues with Blake by emailing blake.phillips@kgun9.com .

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