For the first time this year, the Automobile Association of America is expecting to see an increase in holiday-related travel, with 42.5 million people expected to venture at least 50 miles from
home, a 4% increase from last year. Travel over the Memorial Day holiday was flat, while travel related to the Fourth of July fell 2.5%, and Labor Day travel slipped 2.4%. In 2008, when recession
concerns were at their highest, just 37.8 million hit the road for the holiday, the lowest in a decade.
While most will drive, 3.4 million leisure travelers (or 8% of holiday travelers) are
planning to fly, a 1.8% increase from last year.