July 4th may fall on Saturday this year, but the fragile economy is expected to keep more Americans close to home.
AAA estimates the number of Americans traveling over the holiday weekend will be down nearly 2% from last year.
"The economy is still struggling, many Americans are still struggling to pay the bills," says AAA National Spokesman Troy Green.
To save some bucks, many Americans are bucking the trend to drive.
Road travel is expected to dip 2.6%.
Rising gas prices, up 9% since Memorial Day, are still cheaper than this time last year.
But rising unemployment and lingering uncertainty is also weighing heavy on wallets.
Those who don't drive may fly. Airlines could see a nearly 5% jump in air travel during the holiday weekend.
The silver lining in this down economy: Cheaper air fares to popular destinations including New York, Las Vegas and Florida.
And there are deals on hotels, entertainment and meals.
"If you do have the means, you are not going to find a better time to travel than this year," says the AAA's Green.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement