ROMULUS, Mich. (WXYZ) — If you're traveling for the Fourth of July holiday, buckle up. AAA is projecting more than 72 million people will travel at least 50 miles through this Sunday. If you're driving, you can expect to share the road with more than two million Michiganders.
And if you're flying, you'll be one of nearly 96,000 Michiganders taking to the skies.
Watch Brittany's live report from DTW
Nationwide, air travel is reaching record-breaking numbers, with 5.84 million people flying. That's a 1.4 percent increase over last year's previous high.
If you're one of the millions hitting the skies for this travel period, you're going to be paying more than last year, and you're going to need your passport if you don't have a REAL ID.
Related: Our May report on what you need to know about REAL ID
America is expecting to see 7.6 million fliers on 71,000 flights from June 27-July 7. That's the Fourth of July travel period AAA is gathering data upon. United Airlines is expecting six million customers for the same period.
Delta customers — remember the baggage drop off deadline changed. The airline has a cut off, bags need to be checked at least 45 minutes before departure times.
Again, everyone flying domestic will need either a REAL ID or passport to get through TSA. If you have neighter, you'll get extra screening and still could possibly be turned away.
Ticket prices are up from last year's average. Round trip domestic flights are going for $810, up four percent from 2024.
We talked with a few fliers at DTW in Romulus, bracing to be one of 96,000 Michiganders taking flight.
Paula Hills isn't traveling for the holiday. She's meeting her newborn granddaughter in Tacoma, Washington, already making grandma go the extra mile, or a few thousand during this busy July 4th travel rush.
"Yes and first granddaughter - or first female in the family in 3 generations," Hills said when asked if this was her first grandchild. "They all’ve been boys so this is going to be one spoiled rotten little girl."
"(Heading to) Fort Lauderdale. It’s my first time going," said Ali Zaghir. "Experience and have fun, I guess. Experience this time of the month, July 4th."
"We’re going to the Turks and Caicos Islands," said Kimberly Knysz. "It’s a family trip every year the dates kind of got picked for us. It helped we're leaving on a Wednesday and we don't come back for a whole week."
For anyone still booking flights for next week, Tuesday and Wednesday are usually less expensive days to travel. If you're hitting the roads, AAA also says to get all your routine maintenance done before setting out. This time last year, about 700,000 people needed roadside assistance for things like flat tires, dead batteries, running out of gas, and the worst, people locking themselves out of their own cars.
