ORLANDO, Fla. – A record number of Americans are expected to hit the road and the skies this Fourth of July weekend, even as the cost of getting there jumps sharply.
AAA projects 72.2 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home during the nine-day Independence Day holiday period — and travelers heading through Orlando International Airport will feel the crunch firsthand.
TSA said July 2 is the single busiest day at the nation’s airports, with as many as 3 million people passing through security checkpoints.
AAA’s 72.2 million traveler projection tops last year’s record of 71.8 million, though the year-over-year increase is smaller than in recent years. The cost of taking that trip, however, is anything but modest — overall travel costs are up 11% compared to last year.
“What we’re seeing is that consumers are still spending. They may be strapped, they may not like it, they may complain about it, but a lot of travelers are still making those trips happen,” said Aixa Diaz, AAA spokesperson.
According to AAA, Orlando International Airport ranks No. 2 among the top domestic destinations, meaning MCO is one of the most congested airports in the country.
Top 10 domestic destinations:
Seattle
Orlando
Anchorage
Miami
New York
Chicago
Fort Lauderdale
Fairbanks, AK
Denver
Boston
Top 10 international destinations:
Vancouver
Rome
Dublin
Paris
London
Calgary
Reykjavik
Amsterdam
Athens
Barcelona
Orlando International Airport recommends travelers take these steps to get ahead of the holiday rush:
Arrive early to account for longer lines
Reserve a parking spot in advance if driving to the airport
Reserve a TSA security line time to reduce wait times on your travel day
Copyright 2026 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.